Inscribed on the Verso
by Mikazukino Hikari
Summary: Rikku was always waiting for her story to start, not knowing it already had. Her story was unfolding before her, waiting, inscribed on the verso...
1. Part One Chapter One

**Part One - Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter One **

**10 years Before Eternal Calm (B.E.C)**

"Don't go, Yunie! Stay here!"

"You know I have to go, Rikku."

"But you will be all alone! Don't go! Your family is here!"

The older girl shook her brunette locks. "I still have Kimahri, and I'll send you a sphere when I can!"

The younger girl looked at her cousin with mournful sadness. "You can cry too, Yunie. You don't always have to do what the adults say to do."

The other girl gasped, her eyes filling with long unshed tears. Without a thought, she threw her arms around her cousin and hugged her tightly.

"I'll miss you so much."

"...I won't ask you to stay anymore, but do send me spheres when you can and let me know if you are okay, alright?"

"I will. I promise. But you, you must promise me that you will still laugh and smile. You are only you when you smile."

The blonde nodded. "And one day, when you really need me most, I'll come find you!"

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

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Gippal watched the five-year-old blonde girl hung the brunette one more time before the older girl departed with the Ronso (something he knew from the time when his dad had taken him to Luca for a Blitzball game a few months back). When she didn't move for a few minutes, he detached from the shadows of Home, looming high above them both under the hot Sanubian sun, and walked up to her, silently hugging her from behind.

Rikku squeaked and turned around quickly before quickly throwing her arms around him. "Gippal!" She clung to him as if Sin were upon them. "I missed you so much!"

"Yeah, I can tell," he laughed, the cocky sort of wisdom only a six-year-old could have. "Where were you anyway? You were gone for...," he paused and started ticking off fingers, "six months."

Rikku looked away from him, knowing perfectly well that what she was going to say next would be upsetting to him.

"Come on, Rikku, just say it!"

She sighed, "Fine. Bevelle. I've been in Bevelle."

"What! Why were you in Bevelle! Are you crazy, going to a city packed FULL of Yevonites?"

"Maybe. But, I had to go."

"Yeah, yeah. Who was that girl anyway?"

"That was my cousin. Her dad had to...do...something...so he came to ask if I could come stay with her while he was gone. Pops barely let me go, but my uncle got him to in the end."

"Oh. And now he's done and come back home so they sent you back?"

"Not exactly. He finished doing what he had to do I guess," she mumbled, tears creeping back into her eyes at the thought of the man who had been so loving on their long journey from Bikanel to Bevelle, "but he didn't come home."

"Why not?" Gippal asked, a bad feeling washing over him at the tears in her eyes.

"Because my uncle is High Summoner Braska. This is his calm we are now celebrating." At these words, she burst into tears again. "And now Yunie is all alone. She has nobody! And they won't let her stay here, those Yevonites! She couldn't stay with me and Pops! So now she is all alone and I can't do anything!" She started sobbing and Gippal, accustomed to the crying girl he had known since birth, pulled her back into his arms to let her cry it out.

"I'm sure you can do something, Rikku. It will work itself out now. They can't keep her away from Home. She's half Al-Bhed!"

"But she is High Summoner Braska's Daughter! They were calling her the Child of Yevon, some of them were. How could I even go SEE her? I'm the leader of the Al-Bhed's daughter. I'm Cid's girl."

Gippal sighed as he let his friend cry out all her tears, staring out over the waves of sand that made up the vast Sanubian desert. Even at the tender age of six, he knew she was right. But he also knew she could still try.

"These pilgrimages need to stop," he said. "Summoners need to stop dying."

"That is exactly what I say!" Rikku squeaked, pulling her head up from his shoulder, a fierce look awash on her face. It faded though after a moment. "But how do we stop them?"

The boy smiled at her, an idea coming into his head, and grabbed her wrist to drag her back into the Al-Bhed city of Home. "Come on!"

"Where are we going?"

"Well, Cid's girl, I think we should talk to your father. If anyone can stop the Summoners, it is that grumpy old man of yours."

Rikku laughed and raced along side him, confident that Gippal had something silly in mind...and that she would be perfectly happy to go along with it.

* * *

Okay several author's notes: 

First and foremost, please no flames about how mature they sound. Anyone who has ever spoken with a small child can say how amazingly perceptive and intelligent they are. Plus, in Spira...children don't really get the benefit of growing up in a cushy world were everything will probably be all right. They are introduced into mature concepts (death, loss, fighting, hate) at an extremely young age...so I figure...they would talk a bit more maturely than our little ones might.

Second, time line: at one point Yuna mentions that it took her father 3 months to make his pilgrimage (or at least indicates it) since they start from Bevelle, go to Besaid and then backtrack back to Gagazet...it probably takes about 2 months to start from Besaid and end in Zanarkand...or a little over a month to get to Bevelle. And, via boat, probably takes about 3 weeks from Bevelle to Bikanel...or something like that...So at the START of my story, rather than having to continually update it throughout ...I'm going to list a rudimentary timeline so you can understand what is going on as it happens.

Year Zero (BEC..0...EC) is the very end of FFX when she defeats sin and brings the Eternal Calm...

10 years, 4 months BEC...Braska gets Rikku

10 years, 3 months BEC...Make it to Bevelle...Braska leave shortly after

10 years BEC...Braska defeats Sin

9 years, 11 months BEC...Auron tells Kimahri to take care of Yuna

9 years, 10 months BEC...Kimahri and Yuna drop off Rikku at Home on their way to Besaid

4 months BEC...Tidus winds up at Baaj Temple where he is found by Rikku and almost instantly lost again

3 months, 2 weeks BEC...Rikku heads towards Moonflow to capture Yuna there...Gippal sees the Crimson squad training in the Bikanel Desert and joins up

2 months 2 weeks BEC...Operation Mi'hen goes down...Crimson Squad training...disaster at Den of Woe

2 months BEC...Rikku joins up with group

Anyway...that's the rudimentary timeline for at least the first half of the story. Feel free to question it...it HAS logic behind it...even if it is entirely speculative.

This will be the last A/N probably.

Thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter Two

**Part One – Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter Two**

**8 B.E.C.**

She was exactly where he had thought she would be. He let a small sigh of relief escape his lips as he climbed over the edge onto the top of the tower just to the left of Home's entrance. He was never quite sure why she chose that particular tower over the other 9 that surrounded the Al-Bhed city, but he knew better than to ask.

He looked at her for a moment, knowing that nothing he could say would make her feel better. Still, he knew he had to try. Gippal walked over to where she was standing not far from the edge and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Did Pops send you?"

"No. I came on my own."

She nodded. "I think Pops went crazy."

"Probably. But, he'll get better one day."

"Not likely...You always do that when I'm sad, hug me from behind like that. Why?"

Gippal shrugged. "My dad used to do it when my mom was sad and it always seemed to make her feel better."

"I can't believe you can talk about them when it's only been a year since they died."

He thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. A year is a long time. I still miss them a lot, but...I still have my memories. They are always with me."

"I feel broken. Like a Machina that fell apart and nobody knows how to fix. How can she have died? How could mom go? It's not fair!"

Gippal agreed, not particularly agreeing with the fact that both of his parents had been taken from him by Sin the year previous, but he didn't say anything. After all, what COULD he say?

"I just want her back. And I want Brother to TALK again, to say something, anything, even just "Hi" or "go away," just as long as he spoke! And I want Pops to stop looking at me as if I'm next! First Auntie, then Mom, so it's gotta be me next, right?"

The idea of Rikku dying struck Gippal hard and tightened his grip on her. She glanced up at him before turning her gaze back to the endless sand dunes of the Sanubian desert. "I wish I could talk to Yunie."

"You can always talk to me, you know."

She turned to look at him, tears shining in her eyes and a tremulous smile on her lips. "But, I don't NEED to talk to you, Gippal. You look at me and know what I'm going to say and how I feel. Sometimes I think you are in my head. I need Yunie to TALK to, to say words to...get the feeling to go away with words. To share the pain with someone who knows what it is like...because everyone does, don't they?" She started crying, a far away look flooding her eyes at her own words. "My heart broke, Gippal, and I don't think it will ever stop hurting. I don't know what to do. I miss her so much." She clung to him and cried her eyes out."

Gippal hugged her to him tightly and swore he would never make her cry like this; he'd never LET her hurt this bad ever again. He promised her silently that he would never leave her, but would always protect her, from everything, even if it meant tearing Sin apart with his own two hands.

She stopped crying after a long time and he pulled away from her. He looked down and smiled, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Come, Cid's girl. You are bound to be hungry after all that crying. Let's go get something to eat. It'll make you feel better."

She nodded silently and followed him down, back to the world where people died and away from her small world in the sky, her Sanctuary of the Sun.

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I don't own these characters.


	3. Chapter Three

**Part One – Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter Three**

**6 B.E.C.**

It wasn't their first time at the beach, but it was the first time they had gone in a long time. Rikku was nine now and Cid thought it was a good time to get her started on her training. They had begun to find particularly well preserved and amazing ancient machina underwater in the ruins of the ancient cities that Sin had destroyed one-thousand years before. However, this meant that to excavate would mean they needed extensive underwater training to be able to hold their breath for extended periods of time as well as swimming particularly well.

And for all her little experience in the water, Rikku was a natural. Cid couldn't help but comment that she would make a mighty fine Blitzball player if she were trained for it. But, he could use her better as a diver and, if nothing else, Cid knew how to use his resources well. So he put her through her paces that day, along with a few other kids her age (including Gippal) before letting them relax as night drew on.

Tired of the water, all but a Rikku and Keyakku left to explore the beach, some of them for the first time, but most off to find old caves and treasures they had found on their last trip. Soon, even Keyakku left to join camp, some few minutes away from the beach, as dusk settled upon the water, but, still, Rikku stayed. She loved the water, often running away to the oasis with Brother and friends, and despite having spent the whole day swimming already, she could not make herself leave.

So, of course, it was when she was alone that the fiend attacked.

Her child like scream echoed through the camp. Everyone drew still for a moment before rushing to the beach. Thankfully for her, there were two people already on the beach, just a little ways away. Brother and Gippal, who had been friends for as long as either could remember, ran down the beach and saw the water fiend attacking the young Al-Bhed girl.

Before Gippal could react, he heard Brother whispering something and a crack fell over them as the spell was cast. For a moment, the only thing that penetrated Gippal's mind was a bright flash of light and a sudden fierce scream of pain. Then realization struck: Brother's thunder spell had missed. Instead of striking the fiend, it had hit Rikku.

Shit.

Without thought, Gippal dashed for her, swimming easily through the water: anything to get to the girl. She was screaming: a horrible sound that gave chills to all who could hear it. It inspired such fear in him that he forgot everything but getting her out of the water before she drowned.

This also included the live and well water fiend which was still coming to pick a fight.

Something hit Gippal in the face causing his skin to sting. He carelessly wiped his face, lunging forward to grab hold of the now unconscious younger girl. He threw his arms around her waist and began to swim back to the shore in earnest, kicking roughly at the fiend that persisted in attacking. It was beginning to become desperate, when he heard a shot fired from the beach and the fiend disappeared in an eruption of pyreflies.

A moment later, Cid was taking her from his arms and rushing to the camp screaming bloody murder. Gippal collapsed on the beach, barely hearing the commotion around him until one voice singled out in his mind. "Sweet Spira, Gippal what happened to your face?" As if the words were a trigger, his face burst into a throbbing pain. He could not quite recall what happened after that, but somehow he ended up at camp and lying next to the unconscious Rikku as the healer went to work.

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When Gippal woke up, Rikku was still lying beside him. Fear rushing through him at the extreme pallor of her skin caused him to roll off of the cot and dash towards her. When he reached her side, he watched for a moment then drew a sigh of relief. She was sleeping. Of course she was pale; she had just been struck by lightening.

He put his hand to his forehead and was struck still. Trust a boy to only notice something when it is brought to his attention. Tracing his fingers down his face, Gippal found a great deal of cloth bandaging around his right eye. Memories of fiend venom being spit into his face flooded his mind and panic overcame him. What was wrong with his eye!

The healer came in as he fought desperately to tear the bandage off his face. She immediately rushed over to him. "No, no, Gippal! Don't mess with that! You might make thins worse!"

"Worse?" he croaked out.

She looked at him sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, Gippal. The venom hit your eye. I tried, but I couldn't heal it...not completely. Maybe one day I could fix it but..."

"So, I still HAVE it right?"

"Oh, yes. You just can't USE it, you see."

He frowned. But, he could still see...and, like she said, it might be healed one day. A thought popped into his head. "Is Cid's girl okay?"

"Cid's girl? Really, Gippal, you aren't fooling anyone."

He shrugged. "I never said I was. What about her?"

"She's...fine. She finally woke up, but we put her back to sleep once more. IT was quite a shock to her system, so no matter what white magic I work, she will still need several days to completely recover."

He nodded. "Is everyone asleep?"

"Oh, no. Most are still awake, what with the commotion and all. But, really, it is only an hour or more after sunset. You haven't been out that long."

"Thank you, Nhadala."

"Anytime."

He smiled at her and glanced at Rikku once more before exiting the tent. He walked the camp with a purpose despite being stopped every few feet by what seemed to be every last person in the area. All except one. Cid was particularly effusive.

"I have no way to thank you, m'boy. And you got hurt doing it, too." He broke off, overcome with emotion. "After I lost her mother and my sister...I don't think I could handle my girl... Thank you."

Gippal felt embarrassed and for a moment was put off his search. Yet, it didn't take long for him to regain himself. Nor did it take him long to find whom he was looking for. Brother didn't' have time to say anything before Gippal hit him flush in the face. The older boy stumbled back, dazed and in visible shock.

"That was for my eye." He hit him again. "And that was for your sister. Before you ever THINK about casting another spell, you should become a man who knows how to judge the danger."

"But...," Brother objected.

"She could have DIED!" Gippal roared, terror at the very idea swamping his senses. "You would have killed your sister and all because you were too stupid to think before you acted, to doubt your own ability."

HE stopped, breathing heavily as he started at the silenced Brother. With one last glare, he turned from the ashamed older boy and burned that particular bridge without second thought.

He would forsake any friend, leave anything behind – for her, to make sure she was safe. To keep her near him.

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I don't own these Characters.


	4. Chapter Four

**Part One – Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter Four**

**4 B.E.C.**

They were in Luca watching the Al Bhed Psyches slaughter the Guado Glories. The excitement built in the air saturated with the only joy in Spira, the only thing that united all the races (except perhaps the Hypello who didn't much care for the sport). It should have been an amazing experiance for the Al Bhed children, and it was.

Except for Gippal.

Mind you, Gippal was as excited as the next kid. He had watched the Psyches practice for months in preparation for this, the opening tournament. That wasn't the problem. And in Luca, everyone was equals; here the Yevonites left the Al Bhed alone. That wasn't the problem either. Even more he was with friends for the first time instead of adults (which meant that later they could go off and play). Not even that was the problem.

The problem was Rikku. Rikku was there right and true, sitting next to him even, but not WITH him. Rikku had not come with HIM to Luca, but instead had come with Keyakku. It sounded silly since in point of fact, they ahd all come on the same transport and the same boat, meaning they had really all come together.

But that was only technically. And people who rely on technicalities are annoying.

Despite of everything they had shared, Rikku had agreed to go to Luca when Keyakku asked (not that she wasn't thrilled to know that he was coming, too). Thus it was THEIR date, not his.

So in spite of knowing how silly it really was, Gippal couldn't help but feel insanely jealous. Hormones were a bitch. And it was all made worse to see what a wonderful time she was having, laughing with uninhibited glee. Occasionally, she would glance over to him as if trying to share some of the excitement, and it gae him hopes, but just as often she would look at HIM.

A horrible cramping feeling, strangely close to the feel of grief, clutched him, but still didn't overwhelm the feeling of stupidity he felt. She was just a girl after all. He sighed and turned to fix his eyes on the game, determined to not let them stray to the girl beside him again.

-----

"Come on Gippal!" Rikku cried as she pulled him fervently away from the Al Bhed dock. He had been talking to Eigaar about how it felt to be on the team for the first time when the slight girl came and dragged him off.

"Hey! I was talking to someone!" he protested angrily. "If you wanted to drag someone off will-ye, nil-ye you could have picked Keyakku. You did come with him after all."

She shook her head furiously, not stopping as she headed around to Dock 1. "No, he wouldn't understand. And I don't want to go alone."

"Go WHERE?" he asked, exasperation replacing the molified anger.

"There," she replied, pointing to the ship which had brought the Kilika Beasts and Besaid Aurochs.

"Oh," he breathed as realization sank in. "How do you know they have one for you?"

"First, because she always sends one for the opening tournament and second, because they told Nimrook and he told me."

"Okay, but what do you need me for?"

"Moral support?" she asked, stressed nerves tinging the tone of her voice.

"Fine, I'll wait here while you go," he muttered before something caught his eye. "Actually, no, I'll be over there for a few minutes," he amended, pointing a little bit away.

"Alright," she smiled, fretting her lower lip a little before taking a big breath and approaching the Aurochs as they milled around their docking area. Carefully she waited until the bald one with the sweatband around his head was alone before rushing up to him.

"Ah, you came in person," Datto smiled. "I can tell her that you are fine from real knowledge, ya."

"I'm glad. Tell her I miss her!"

"Of course. I suppose you want this, ya?" he laughed as he handed her the sphere she so coveted.

"Yes, thank you! And could you give this one to her?" she pleaded, handing him the one she had carefully made in the past few weeks.

"Sure, Yuna will be happy to get it."

"Thank you! I've got to be going before Brother throws a fit," Rikku grinned as she hopped backwards and turned around to walk away before hesitating. "Thank you so much!" she called once more before hurrying over to where Gippal said he was going to be.

"-lost, kid!" flit to her ears as she approached forcing her into an even quicker step to intercept the damage.

"Hello, sir," she greeted the Crusader. "I'm sorry but he really doesn't know what you are saying, but I can translate."

The older man looked at her with disdain before repeating, "I was telling him that Al Bhed brats like him are not welcome in the Crusaders and to get lost."

Rikku swallowed the instinct to argue with the horrible man but instead smiled and nodded. "I'll let him know. We'll go now." She bowed apologetically before dragging Gippal away.

"Hey, I was talking to him!"

"Talking requires mutal understanding. And what are you doing talking to a Crusader anyway. Are you insane?"

"You know I want to join the Crusaders, Rikku! How am I supposed to join if I don't ask?"

She stopped walking and looked at him repressively. "If you want to become a Crusader you need to learn to speak Common and don't tell me you do. 'I want join Crusaders' does NOT count as speaking Common. It's worse than Ronso."

Gippal glared at her for a moment before asking, "Where are we going now?"

"Sphere theatre. And don't tell me you don't want to come, you always like to watch the spheres, even though you don't understand them." She paused to give him a considering look. "Almost makes me believe you have a crush on her."

Quickly grasping for a way to get away from the dangerous topic of his crushes he hurriedly asked, "Why do you know Common so well anyway? It's not like your father speaks it. Nor do you too often."

"Mother taught me," she replied softly. "She said it was important to know what everyone is saying about you, even if it isn't nice."

"She was smart. I don't suppose you would be willing to teach me?"

"Hmmm, sure. You are a quick enough learner."

Gippal grinned. "Of course I am. Everyone knows I'm the most clever bastard ever."

"Whatever," she muttered as they entered the sphere theatre. It was a busy day and it took them a few minutes to find an available viewer. Carefully, Rikku inserted the sphere in the viewer and turned it on.

* * *

"I thought I'd give you a quick view of Besaid," Yuna's disembodied voice said as the image came into focus revealing a beautiful beach with white sands and blue ocean waters: paradise. The scene began to change as her narration continued following the path from the beach to the small village on the other side of the small island.

"I know you didn't want me to come here at all, but it is so beautiful here. Sometimes I wish I could have you come visit for a long time like you did...before, but with the temple here, I don't think you'd be too comfortable. People here are more laid back than in Bevelle, but there are a few who are quite...adament.

"One of them is my fried, Wakka. He is always trying to do everything so precisely as Yevon dictates. He is a good man, but sometimes I think he tries too hard. Even more so now...with the Coming upon us."

The image shifted to finally reveal a thirteen year old girl with unmatched eyes. She was on that awkward brink all girls reach, vaguely holding promise of what she would one day become: a truely lovely girl.

"That is mostly what I wanted to talk about this time, Rikku." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "It's been six years since my father defeated Sin and the overwhelming outbreak of fiends tells us all that Sin will be reborn soon. It will soon be time for the Summoners once more."

Yuna looked up determinedly but still with some sorrow. "I've decided to become a Summoner, Rikku. I know you don't approve and I know that if you were here, you would try to convince me not to do this, but I have made this decision. I want to help relieve the suffering of Spira. My father did this before me and I want to do it now."

She stopped, obviously upset. "Please understand, Rikku. I'm doing this for the same reason my father did: I want to protect my family. I want to protect you and Uncle Cid and Brother and my new family here as well. I don't want there to be any more children like me, losing both my parents to Sin. I know that is foolish, more children will be orphaned before the next Calm and more parents will lose their children. But I can stop it. I can protect them and you.

"So please, believe in Yuna. And try not to be sad." She paused and smiled. "And maybe, before my pilgrimage, you can come visit me and bring Brother and Uncle Cid and your boyfriend or whoever you want!" Yuna laughed, happy with expectation and it was the last sound the sphere conveyed before ending.

* * *

Rikku stared at the empty space where the image had been, tears rolling down her cheeks. More than anything she wanted to start screaming desperately, to yell bloody murder in attempts to have her small voice reach over the waters to Besaid. But she could barely breathe. Numbly she turned to Gippal who understood just enough of what the girl had said to realize just what she was telling the girl beside him. The look in her eyes stopped his breathe as he watched her jerky movements taking the sphere back. 

Silently he followed her from the sphere theatre and towards the docks but stopped her before they arrived. "Rikku," he whispered.

She looked up at him, suppressed screams crying out from her green eyes. "How could she? How could she do that? She is not some damn sacrifice! She is not a toy of Yevon! HOW COULD SHE!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Gippal pulled her to him and held her tight. He had no words to comfort her and it was killing him. There was no way to fix this short of kidnapping Yuna and it was killing him to see her so upset.

"Gippal," she whimpered. "I can't lose anyone else, I just can't."

He looked down at her and smile sadly, knowing he couldn't promise that she wouldn't but wishing he could with every part of who he was. Instead, he did what he could. He leaned forward and kissed her.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

I'm approximating the return of Sin. We know it was at LEAST a year before the events of FFX but it is never specified. So...I figure it is two to three years before. And Summoner's training seems like it would be extensive.

As a note, the events of FFX and FFX-2 International will be incorporated into this fic as they are canon. The Last Mission will be referenced but not included.

I also apologize if the characters seem a little out of character in this chapter but there is so little real interplay that it is hard to represent them well and still tell what should be told.


	5. Chapter Five

**Part One – Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter Five**

**2 B.E.C**.

At thirteen, Rikku was nothing but energy, a fact that Gippal found both amusing and exhausting so when she declared that morning she would be going to catch a chocobo, he merely laughed and raised his hands in surrender.

"I give up. You tie me out, Cid's girl. I'm going to have to sit this one out."

"It's Rikku, you meanie!" She shouted, sticking her tongue out at him. "Are you sure you want to stay behind? Are you turning into an old man already?"

"Heh. That won't work this time. Just go. I'll be here when you get back. I've got some machina I want to fiddle with."

She rolled her eyes and skipped away. Gippal watched her fade into the distance before sighing and heading of to find that machina...

------

"Hey, Gippal, watcha working on?"

"Oh, hey Buddy," he responded, distractedly. Now, if he could get the part just right...

"Where's Rikku?"

"You know, I'm not her keeper. I leave that to Cid."

"Not Brother?"

"No!"

"Why don't you just admit it Gippal?"

"Admit what?" Where was that wrench...?

"That you are in love with Rikku."

Gippal dropped his tools and looked up at Buddy, who was grinning down at him. "I do admit it." He couldn't help but chuckle at the look on the older boy's face.

"Then why don't you tell her?"

"Gippal!!!"

The loud cry startled both boys and they were both barely able to get out of the way before Rikku charged into the area on a chocobo.

"I told you I could catch a chocobo!" She glanced over to Buddy. "Oh, hey, Buddy!"

"I never said I didn't believe you could. I just said I didn't have your boundless energy and didn't want to waste mine on a chocbo, Cid's girl."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Meanie! I'm going to go show Keyakku. He'll be more appreciative of my greatness."

"Yeah, yeah."

She stuck her tongue out again, waved to Buddy then rode off, presumably to hunt down Keyakku."

Gippal knelt down and began working on the machina again. "You see her, Buddy. How could I tell her I love her?"

"Huh?"

Gippal stared at his hands. "She is like the wind, twelve steps ahead of everyone else, even the older kids like you and Brother. Cid is hailing her as a child prodigy with underwater excavation and she can assemble or dissasemble machina as fast as someone Cid's age whose been doing it all his life."

"So? Don't tell me the great and almighty Gippal doesn't feel good enough to catch Rikku."

"How do you catch the wind? How do you grab hold of fire?"

"So you're going to give up?"

"No. I'm just going to do something so great it will put us both on the same level. Maybe I can become with wind with her.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

Short chapter, but another one is following...very soon. Like in an hour. Thanks for all the reviews!


	6. Chapter Six

**Part One – Leafing Through the Prologue**

**Chapter Six**

**5 Months B.E.C.**

He climbed over the edge of the tower, finding her just where he knew she would be, sitting in silence, legs over the side and silhouetted by the setting sun. Gippal felt his breath catch, for a moment, irrationally afraid she would fly off and away from him forever.

"When are you leaving?"

He sighed. "Tomorrow. Around the same time you'll be leaving to go on the excavation ship."

She nodded. "So the Crimson Squad, huh? Finally got to be a Crusader."

"Only because you taught me Common."

She nodded, still staring at the sunset. He approached her carefully, before cautiously sitting beside her. He waited for her to say something. To yell at him for leaving, but silence reigned. Finally he looked over at her face and saw tears streaking down her face.

"I'm coming back, Cid's girl. I'm going to come back and kiss you breathless when I've defeated Sin."

"I won't be here."

"What?" Gippal managed after a moment. Was she rejecting him now that he was finally doing something worthy? Why?

"Yunie is undertaking the Summoner's Trial. She's about to call her first Aeon." She held up a sphere to him. "She is going to do it right before the Blitzball opening tournament."

He sat in silence for a moment, stunned, before nodding. "What are you going to do?"

"I have to go to this excavation, I promised Pops I would. In the mean time, he said he was going to try something. If that doesn't work, I'm going to go after her. And if I can't stop her, I'm going to go with her. Until the end."

"He turned to stare out at the sunset with her, at last understanding her silence. Even he knew what it meant to be a guardian to a summoner.

"I'm going to defeat Sin, just you watch. I'll do it before Yuna can make it to the Final Summoning."

At last Rikku turned to him and smiled, tears in her eyes. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

She nodded, then seeing he was holding something frowned. "What's that?"

"A present."

"Give it to me when we get back. After you defeat Sin."

He laughed sadly. "No, I want you to have it now." He handed her the package and watched her open it. She pulled out a really, REALLY long scarf that started out yellow, went to read and then back to yellow again. She gave him a questioning look.

"It was my mother's. She never really wore it, said it got caught in the machinary."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

He wrapped it around her neck and smiled. "Because it reminds me of fire and so do you. So wear it."

"No."

"What? Why not?" he huffed.

"I'll wear it after you defeat Sin. You have to come see him wearing it then."

Gippal smiled sadly at the girl held so precious, recognizing the plea in her voice for what it was.

"Got it," he grinned, using the ends to pull her into a kiss."

----------

I don't own these characters

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A/N:

Another short chapter. This chapter concludes the first part of this story. On to the next part! Woohoo! and I'm planning on finishing this within the week hopefully. It should have been done a LONG time ago...


	7. Lost Crimson Sphere

**Lost Crimson Sphere**

Slowly Baralai approaches a thoughtful Gippal as he sits a little away from the group, staring at the setting sun. He stops a few feet away, as if hesitant to interrupt the blonde's quiet reverie. Glancing around, he seems to suspect he is being recorded and perhaps takes courage from this.

"You are always staring at the sunset, Gippal."

"HE's probably remembering cheesy dates he took girls on a million times before," Nooj interjects from off camera.

"No, I think it's just one girl," a woman's voice sounds from behind the camera.

"She'd be right," Gippal sighs, "but only partially."

"Oh so there IS a girl." Baralai laughs. "From your attitude, we couldn't help but assume there were hundreds."

"Heh, no. Only one. THE one. She likes sunsets, most Al Bhed do, I guess. Gets cooler then. But more than anything, I just like the sky at sunset. It looks like fire."

"Like her?" the female voice asks again.

"Yep. She's pure energy, like fire."

"She the one you are making that ridiculous weapon for?" Nooj mutters.

"That'd be her."

"So where is this girl?" Baralai asks curiously.

"And why are you here instead of with her?" the Death Seeker chimes in, coming into view at last.

"Gotta defeat Sin, of course," Gippal laughs, glancing over his shoulder. "Make the world a better place for her."

"But where is she?" the woman's voice echoes.

The blonde grows silent again, not speaking for a long moment. He seems to be looking into the setting sun for all the answer of life. For a moment, everyone glances at each other, as if wondering if he were going to answer.

"She's a Guardian."

The silence held a different tone following this single statement. It was well know the plight of a Guardian.

"An Al Bhed? I thought your people didn't believe in Summoners pilgrimaging."

"We don't."

"So why is she a Guardian?"

"Her cousin."

"Oh."

There was a long pause before the female voice offered hesitantly, "Maybe the Summoner will turn back."

"No. Not this one."

Gippal went back to staring at the sunset in silence.

-------

Some time after sunset, Nooj and Baralai are sitting by themselves, Gippal obviously having retired for the night.

"Never thought Gippal would be a one girl guy," Nooj mutters thoughtfully. "Or that he was deep enough to be that thoughtful."

"That's not fair to Gippal, Nooj," Baralai objects.

"You know what I mean, with his attitude."

"It could all be a front," the woman suggests. "All that nonchalance and carefree attitude."

"Yeah," Baralai sighs.

Nooj nods. "It can't be easy to be cheerful when you know you probably won't see the girl you love again."

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I don't own these characters.

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AN: Okay so the next few chapters are incredibly short. I didn't think there was much point to writing over the scenes in FFX so they are just little mental dialogues. BUT they are all written so they should be posted fairly quickly.

Thank you to all reviewers again. A special thank you to lost-love-found for the comment about doing my homework. I actually stopped playing ffx-2 midgame to replay FFX so I could remember the things said there and what happens in what order.

Which isn't too much of a trial but somewhat tedious when it comes to details like "What the hell does Home look like?" and "Who the hell was Keyakku anyway?"


	8. Part Two Chapter One

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter One**

**2 Months, 2 ½ weeks B.E.C.**

The sun was setting. It was beautiful. She had always liked sunset. That meant it would be cooling down. That was the way all Al Bhed's looked at the sunset, really: relief from the hot Sanubian sun. She had never really thought about it from the aspect of something ending.

She should get to work. She had things to prepare for trying to stop Yuna and all, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the setting sun, the eternal symbol of how things end. The events of the day before rolled around in her head, not shutting up, despite all efforts to let it rest.

Hesitantly, she had approached the maester, knowing from reputation that he would be the one to ask. Unlike every other time she had spoken to a temple Yevonite, which wasn't often, he did not stare at her in badly concealed disdain. He looked at her, merely curious as to what she wanted. A look that changed when he heard what she had to say.

"Maester Kinoc?"

"Yes, miss?"

She smiled, slightly embarrassed. "I understand that you are the one in charge of the Crimson Squad."

He stiffened. "That is correct, miss. What did you wish to ask?"

"My friend was in training for the Squad, sir. I haven't seen him in sometime because of that and I wanted to speak to him for a moment if it wouldn't interfere. That is, if they are here, sir."

He looked at her for a long moment, as if deciding the truth behind her words. Apparently, having decided to take them at face value, he sighed and drew up an expression of compassion.

"I am sorry, but I have bad news for you, my dear," he began. "They were supposed to be here, true, to complete the last phase in their training. However, on the voyage over, Sin attacked their ship. I was told that everyone was lost. I am deeply sorry."

Rikku had stared at the complacent face for a moment before nodding and slowly backing away. After a distance, she turned and ran, ran until she reached the rest of the Al Bhed who had gathered for Project Mi'hen. With all the instincts of a broken hearted child, she had thrown herself on the ground and began sobbing. She knew she looked stupid, but she didn't care. All she cared about was that Gippal was gone and was never coming back. The parat of her life that made living worth while and fun was gone forever. Her sobs racked her so hard that she didn't hear the approach of footsteps.

"Rikku? Rikku, what's the matter?"

When she didn't respond, Keyakku knelt down and pulled her up off the ground and halfway into his lap.

"Come on, Rikku, what's the matter?"

"He's gone."

"Who is?"

"Gippal! Gippal's dead! He died and he is never coming back!"

"No…" Keyakku gasped. "Come on, Rikku, you need to stop this. You'll make yourself sick."

"I don't care!"

She had cried for hours after that as Keyakku and others who knew her and them stopped and stared. She cried until she didn't have any tears left. TI was over.

At last, she stood up and turned away from the last sliver of the setting sun. It was time to plan how she was going to save Yuna. She had to save her. She would die before she lost someone else.

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I don't own these characters.

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AN: Okay, for those of you who do not know:

Recto. N. the right side of a page in a book.

Verso. N. the left side of a page in a book that is seen when page is turned.

No dirty jokes people.


	9. Pt Two Chapter Two

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter One**

**1 Months, 3 weeks, 5 days B.E.C.**

She lied.

IT was something she didn't do often, mostly cause she didn't do it very well, but still she found herself lying as she watched everyone enter the farplane. She couldn't help it. She could smile while they fought fiends and lied to Wakka about who she was. She could stay chipper as she watched the determination in her cousin's eyes grow as the journeyed forward with Rikku as her Guardian.

But she couldn't smile at the idea of seeing Gippal on the farplane.

She could tell Tidus that her memories were inside her but it wasn't true. They were screaming to et out of her. So she lied. She sat outside, pointedly facing away from Auron.

"You're lying."

"Why don't you keep to yourself, old man?"

"No. Now, an Al Bhed who could cast her beliefs so far aside as to join a Summoner's Pilgrimidge wouldn't have any qualms about going to the farplane."

"It's a personal choice."

"Who don't you want to see?"

The question struck her hard and for a moment she couldn't speak. She didn't bother asking who he knew; she hadn't been in his presence five minutes before seeing that he was the sort that knew everything. She merely wondered why he asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"No reason, particularly. Except perhaps because you should know that by just denying it, you won't change the fact that they're gone."

"I just don't want to confirm it."

He paused a moment. "Operation Mi'hen?"

"No. Just before."

"Is there any hope that they could have survived?"

"It isn't just our memories that we keep inside."

"Maybe they are."

"You never seemed like the type to encourage false hope. Why are you?"

"Hope can never be false. It's just hope. And isn't that what a Summoner's party is for, to keep hope alive?"

"I didn't think you are a very hopeful person, Auron. I think you are just determined."

"Perhaps."

Silence reigned for a moment before he broke it again.

"Was he determined?"

"He promised to defeat Sin before Yuna could."

She heard him laugh and a little spark of hope that she had almost let die sprang to life. She began to think of going out onto the farplane when they came back out.

-----

I don't own these characters.

-----


	10. Pt Two Chapter Three

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Three**

**1 Months, 2 weeks B.E.C.**

They'd lost Yunie. She was about to be forced into marrying a man who was already dead. They were going to be forced into taking on all of Bevelle. One small group of people against the entire army of Yevon.

But that wasn't what she was thinking about.

She stared out at the clouds that passed by and could only see the great explosion that had rocked the airship and destroyed her Home. Slowly, pieces of her life were being torn from her. She lost Gippal, a loss so hard that she barely thought she could breathe only to be followed by the loss of Home.

If Pops hadn't come to her as she knelt beside Keyakku, she didn't know if she'd have been able to stop her tears. And each body she passed told her about one more person she had known all her life was gone. After the first few, she stopped looking at their faces.

But the strain had been too much. She had even broke down and told Tidus the truth. Soon, she would lose one more person.

Without Yuna, without Gippal…who would she have left?

She knew the answer of course. She still had Brother and pops. She had even seen Buddy getting on board. She would still have Lulu and perhaps even Wakka and Tidus…if he didn't go back to Zanarkand somehow.

Still, she felt hollow inside. She could spout her Al Bhed sayings about her memories being kept inside, but that when she had something physical in her hand to bear them up. A stray piece of machine she and Gippal made. A sphere of her mother. But, they too had been taken from her when Home was destroyed.

And so was the last bit of her hope that Gippal had somehow survived and made it back to Home. He wasn't on the airship…she just knew it….

It was just too hard.

She straightened up and forcibly pulled her mind from her circular of thoughts. She watched Auron approach her father with a purpose.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: This was accidentally replaced for awhile. Sorry for any confusion!


	11. Pt Two Chapter Four

Part Two – Creating the Recto

Chapter Four

2 weeks B.E.C.

There was too much silence. It seemed as if it had a presence of its own. So much of what they couldn't find themselves saying seemed to settle on their shoulder's.

So much sacrifice.

Kimahri had just been reunited with his people just to have them so horribly taken from him.

Wakka had given up the faith that had betrayed him so cruelly.

Lulu who had already lost Chappu was about to lose the girl she called sister.

And Tidus…everyone had known, as they came back from that pool in the forests of Macalania that the deed had been done. They had accepted their feelings for each other, clinging to each other for comfort from the sorrow of the decision she had to make.

Knowing they would soon be ripped from each other.

And Yuna was the sacrifice. They great human sacrifice to destroy Sin.

Jecht. His father.

Wakka was right; it was messed up.

And only the unknown lay before them tinted with the terrible half truths they all knew.

It wasn't only the Summoners that never came back from the pilgrimidge. Even through all the excitement of the coming of the Calm, whispers sometimes filtered through about how the Guardians who had walked with the High Summoner were so rarely seen later to be congratulated.

Auron's reappearance had caused comment for more than one reason.

It was a truth that weighed heavily on their shoulders, all but Tidus who was blessedly ignorant of this one last horror. It might not only be Yuna who made the sacrifice. It might be all of them.

As she sat there thinking, a sad thought crept into her head as the sun slipped completely out of sight.

It might be her, too, lost in the never ending battle to defeat Sin. She might not come back from the Final Summoning any more than Yuna. She might be leaving pops and Brother behind again.

But there was one sad hope.

She didn't know what happened when someone died, but maybe just maybe it was something good.

She might see Gippal again.

-----

I don't own these characters.

-----


	12. Pt Two Chapter Five

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Five**

**3 days B.E.C.**

She wanted to do it by herself.

When Pops had told her what he had learned of a quick coverup Yevon had perpertrated, she had listened with half an ear, mind on the preparations for the big battle with Yu Yevon inside of Sin. When he mentioned Maester Kino, she began to pay a little attention; when he said "Crimson Squad" she finally turned to face him.

A training exercise gone horribly wrong, almost every member killed and then the despicable cover up of their failure by murdering all who had managed to survive and covering all evidence.

She wished she could have killed Kinoc herself.

When Pops told her that the oscillofinder had picked up traces of Al Bhed machine in the gorge along Mushroom Rock Road, she remembered a promise he had made her…an idea he had been tinkering with, a weapon designed just for her.

She wanted to find it on her own.

He brought the ship down far enough that she could jump down safely. It didn't take long, searching the immediate area, before she found it. It was finished. As she looked over it she saw he had inscribed a name in Common.

Godhand.

She smiled sadly before making her way back to the Highwind.

It was complete now, as far as she was concerned. She could defeat Sin herself now. She would stop the death, stop the pointless sacrifice of people to a belief so false. She did not feel the betrayal the others did at the knowledge that they had all be lied to. The Al Bhed had been searching for a permanent solution for years and years.

It was a hope Gippal had been sacrificed to as well. So she would defeat Sin by herself if she had to.

With the weapon he had made her.

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I don't own these characters.

-----

AN: Okay, another ridiculously short chapter. They are coming to an end I swear. The next one is much much longer.

I took liberties with this chapter since a) she didn't go by herself and b) it wasn't finished when she found it since it had to be powered up etc. etc.

Anyway, I thought it wasn't coincidence that her ultimate weapon was found where we later learn the Den of Woe was.

Also the timeline:

I figured they spent about a week trapped in Bevelle and in the Via Pontifico. And then according to the logic of the previous timeline aprpaoch, it took like a month to get from Bevelle to Mt. Gagazet. After that I figure it took about a week or more to prepare for the battle ideas, weapons and getting everyone to actualy sing the Hymn.

Bear with me.


	13. Pt Two Chapter Six

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Six**

**2 days Eternal Calm (E.C.)**

Somehow this had turned into something she simply had to do, even though it was almost unbearably painful. She sat lightly on her feet as she crouched own in the space that had once been her home. She figured she was around the area where her room once had been.

It seemed hopeless.

Even to herself, she saw that she was desperately searching for something to hold onto, clawing to grasp a hold of something to remind her to keep him real to her yeas from now when her mind couldn't be counted on to keep her memories intact. It was desperation and one she knew was futile.

As futile as Yuna's whistles were.

She had tried to console her cousin, but it was so hard to pretend it would all turn out alright when she had lost her friend as Yuna has lost her love. IN the end, they had cried on each other for a bit after Yuna's speech in Luca before going their separate ways.

One day they would both be alright. Until then, Rikku just wanted something to hold onto. It was her own little quest. IT consumed her so thoroughly that she didn't hear the sound of approaching footsteps nor see the shadow that fell beside her. She only noticed something when she felt someone tugging on one of the blue ribbons lying on the ground behind her.

Tug.

"Why aren't you wearing the scarf I gave you, Cid's girl?"

She couldn't breathe. For a moment the world went still and she couldn't think. Then all of a sudden her mind rushed back to her and she could only think of one thing.

If she turned around would he really be there or would he fade away just as Tidus had, only a dream?

She wanted to chance it.

Cautiously, Rikku stood up. She hesitated a moment before slowly turning to look behind her. And then everything really was alright. She didn't even think or really know herself but from one moment to the next she went from standing stock still to somehow sitting on of his toppled over body.

"Glad to see you, too," he coughed, smiling up at her.

"I thought you were dead. They told me you were and I never saw you here..."

He reached up and caressed her cheek. "You should know better, Cid's girl, than to think that some dirty Yevonite could get me. So stop crying or I'll be forced to tickle you or something."

She smiled for a moment before growing angry. Before he could react, she suddenly pulled back and hit him.

"Ouch! Hey, what on Spira are you doing, Rikku?!"

"Why didn't you tell me you were alive? Pops had us flying everywhere, dammit; you could have found me and said something."

She tried to hit him again, but he deflected her blows.

"If you are going to pummel me to death, you could at least get off me so I can fight back. This is a bit unfair."

"Stop avoiding the question, Gippal, or I'll sit on top of you forever."

A gleam lit in his eye. "Can't say that doesn't sound promising, Cid's girl..."

She blushed red and scrambled off of him giving him the opportunity to roll over and use her momentary distraction to pin her down in a similar fashion.

"Hey! You big meanie! Get off me!"

"The reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't realize you were on his stupid ship until I heard about the Hymn of the Fayth. I thought you were on your way to Zanarkand with little chance of coming back and..."

"And?" she asked in spite of herself.

He leaned down so their foreheads were touching. "And, I didn't want to get on the airship and have Cid tell me that you were already gone."

"Oh," she whispered. Another tear leaked out of her eyes. "I missed you so much. It seemed like everyone around me was dying and there wasn't anything I could do. And I didn't have anyone to turn to because you were dead." Her voice broke on a sob. "I wanted you so much."

"I'm so sorry, Rikku. I never meant to leave you alone."

"You better not," she sniffed before pulling him down for a kiss.

-------

They sat watching the sunset over the oasis, both relishing in the other's presence. IT had only been two days since she stood beside her cousin at the stadium in Luca, but sitting beside him, it felt like such a long time ago.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked him after a while. "No more Crusaders going off to defeat Sin. No more Sin." She smiled. "Despite everything, that is still so weird to believe."

HE stared at the sun silently for a moment. "I saw something when I was training for the Crimson Squad. I think I need to find out more about it."

"A mystery?"

"Something like that," he smiled. "How about you?"

She shrugged a little. "Now that Yevon is over and people are going to start forgetting the teachings, I think more people are going to want to learn about machina. Pops and Brother are already starting to look for more of the ancient machina like the airship. I think I'm going to go with them. I want to see if I can find out more about the war that created Sin."

He smiled softly. "So you are off to explore the world."

"Something like that."

"Then I guess we'll be going our separate ways again."

She hesitated a moment before turning to look at him. "It's an airship, Gippal. I'll see you all the time."

He grinned and reached up to play with one of the feathers braided into her hair. "I won't be able to get rid of you, huh?" His smile dimmed and he grew quiet as he stared at her. It was just enough to worry her.

It had never been anything official. No words had really ever been spoken between them. There was just the understanding that they were for each other. And really, that was all she needed. She was only fifteen. She could wait. But the look in his eyes worried her. Despite earlier, was he going to tell her no? Was it really them going their separate ways after being together this whole time?

"Don't look like that, Cid's girl."

"Like what?" she breathed.

"Like I'm about to break your heart."

"Oh?"

He sighed. "I need to do something. I have something I need to prove to myself. And then, when I do, I'm going to come find you and sweep you off your feet."

She bit her lip. "Is it going to take years and years?" Perhaps she wasn't so patient after all.

He sighed and looked away. "I don't know how long it will take. But, I understand if you can't wait."

"I imagine I can wait. I don't think I'm going to meet someone else who has plans of sweeping me off my feet anytime soon."

A dark light entered his good eye, hidden by the reflected sunset. Somehow, the idea of her meeting someone hadn't occurred to him and, for a second, he couldn't breathe. "How 'bout this," he began after a moment. "You keep the scarf or did you lose it when Home was destroyed?"

"Ah! No. I kept it with me," she grinned, reaching for her pack and began rummaging in it. "This sucker has been inside of Sin," she boasted as she pulled it out.

He smirked, happy to know that she did really care. "So why weren't you wearing it?"

"I told you. I'd only wear it when Sin was defeated and you came to see it on me."

"Okay, Cid's girl. Then how 'bout this: for as long as you are willing to wait, you wear it. (Except when working on machina or something equally likely to get you strangled.) That way, I'll know. And if I see you and you've taken it off...I won't ask. I'll just be glad if you're happy."

She smiled up at him. "Deal. But promise me that you won't go off yourself, mister."

He laughed as he wrapped the scarf around her and used it to pull her towards him. "Don't be stupid."

She was grinning when their lips met.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

Again, probably slight out of character. I try. It's hard to think of any plausible way how the conversation would take place if not just...outright. The two of them are so blunt.

And I had to justify to my own little brain why she would be wearing a scarf with a string bikini. I'm just weird like that.

I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter so I might come back and reedit it. shrug


	14. Pt Two Chapter Seven

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Seven**

**1 Year E.C.**

Sometimes Gippal wondered about the mental state of sphere hunters. He knew he shouldn't be so harsh by judging a relatively new group of people by the morons he had just met. Still, Leblanc was enough to turn him off the entire group. Why she'd think he could build an airship for her out of nothing he had no idea. Why she'd think he'd then give it to her was baffling.

He shook his head as he walked out of Guadosalam and out onto the Thunderplains. One of the first tasks he has set the newly formed Machine Faction was to calibrate the lightening towers, a desire affected in no small part by Rikku's fear of thunder. It was something that had occurred to him when thinking about her pilgrimage with Yuna, pondering over how she must have felt crossing these plains. The idea continued to make him angry even to the point of distracting him from his work once he reached the nearest tower. This was, perhaps, why the scream managed to pierce his concentration. A scream that sounded an awful lot like Cid's girl... In a moment he was off, running in the direction of the sound. It took a few minutes, but finally Gippal located the somewhat bedraggled teen in an alcove to one side of the plains.

His arrival coincided with a lightening strike and he was welcomed with another high pitched squeal. "Sweet Spira, Cid's girl, what are you doing out here?!"

She frowned at him, her blonde hair plastered to her face in places. "If you are just going to yell at me, you can go away you big meanie!"

"You are the one screaming. Excuse me for being concerned!"

She sniffed pathetically. He sighed and plopped down on the ground beside her. She scooted towards him before actually crawling into his lap when a bit of lightening struck particularly close. He was torn between the desire to laugh and the urge to protect the miserable girl in his lap.

"Really, Cid's girl, what are you doing?"

"I have a name," she muttered into his shirt. "And I don't want to tell you."

"Why not?"

"You'll laugh at me."

"I will not. Laughing at you isn't safe. Especially when you are in close proximity and can hurt me easily."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely."

"I'm trying to get over my fear of thunder."

He frowned. "So you're, what, trying to catch hypothermia and scare yourself mindless? Being afraid of lightening is no big deal, ya know."

"It is!" she squeaked as she flinched against another strike. "It's a weakness!"

"A weakness?!" he exclaimed incredulously. "Honestly, Cid's girl, you are anything but weak." A fact, he admitted to himself, that saddened him more than a little. He didn't even have a chance to protect her.

"NO! It made me vulnerable. I could have gotten Yunie killed because of it. And look, now I'm distracting you!"

He rolled his eyes as he put his arms around her. "So you're mind is set then?"

"Yup."

"What brought this on anyway?"

She shrugged, huddling more into his lap, almost like a child. "It was visiting Yunie. She was being bossed around by everyone still. No one will let her be." She bit her lip. "Yunie's strong, you know? But I think she's weak against people. And that weakness is making her miserable. "She shrugged before finally settling her head onto his shoulder."I don't want anymore weaknesses."

He tightened his arms around her and put his chin on her head. They sat in silence for a few moments, punctuated by a few squeaks and cringes from Rikku whenever lightening struck. Then he broke the silence with a question he had stopped himself from asking for some time.

"Does it bother you?"  
"What?"

"You were there. You helped defeat Sin, too, but only Yuna gets the credit."

She was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Sometimes it does. We were all there and in the end it wasn't an aeon that defeated Sin, but pure physical strength. It was all of us.

"But you know, maybe her will is what got us there." She paused. "And really, she lost the most. I mean, I know, Auron and...he...but Yuna lost so much. So I don't mind. Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri and I know. Yuna knows. That's all that matters. And I don't need to be a superstar anyway."

Gippal felt humbled. He had always been out to make the most to get his name known. To prove himself. And here she had been one to rid the world of a thousand year old horror and didn't mind that she didn't get the credit.

"You're amazing, Cid's girl."

She shrugged. "Not like I single handedly united the races of Spira."

"Heh."

"So why are you and your crew out here?"

"We're calibrating the lightening towers. Soon you can walk on the plains and never have to worry about being struck."

"Wow! That's great, Gippal."

He smirked. "And if you can stop jumping long enough to hold a wrench, you can help us."

"Oh, you meanie!" She hit his shoulder. "See if I even help you."

"Heh, we don't need your help, Cid's girl. Don't fool yourself."

"Ha! You know I can fix machina twenty times better than you."

"You keep telling yourself that."

They got up and he began to make his way out to the towers when she grabbed his arm, stopping him. He looked back at her and barely managed to catch the flying hug. After a moment, he put her down and grinned down at her.

"Thank you."

"What for, Cid's girl?"

"I didn't think I'd be able to make it through this week. But now I think I can."

"And why are you thanking me?"

"Just knowing you are here makes me feel better. I feel safe when you are around."

Speechless, he nodded and left feeling like he could do take down a marlboro single handedly.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

A bit of time since the last one, I know. But I've got almost the entire story written now. It is just a matter of finding the time to type it up. Thanks to all reviewers!


	15. Pt Two Chapter Eight

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Eight**

**1 Year 10 months E.C.**

Spira had certainly changed in such a short time. Without the eternal unifyer that was Sin, the peoples of Spira had begun to seek out ways of connecting with each other. Most of the mature denizens of Spira had clung to the old ways and founded the party of New Yevon, desperately clutching to a way of life that no longer made sense. And the youth of Spira, desperate to find a way to create a new world that they still fit in, established the Youth League.

That was all well and good, but Gippal thought it was all a bit drastic. Still, he too felt desperation to find a place in this new world, all the Al Bhed did. Without Home, there was no anchor to their almost nomadic way of life. So when Cid and Rikku had started an expedition to excavate lost machina and teach this new world how to use it, he decided it was his turn.

What had started as a gathering of the Al Bhed to give purpose to the lost became a phenomenon. Suddenly, the Machine Faction was known throughout Spira. Without understanding quite how, he became a leader of men so much so that even Cid occasionally came to him to ask for a spare part for the Highwind or the excavation ships.

At last, he was beginning to feel like her equal.

Which was the thought that floated through his head when he got word that the ship she was in charge of had docked behind the temple. He expected her quick and cheerful approach with a sense of excitement fueled by the fact that she hadn't been by for a few months. But he was disappointed when the first to arrive was one of her crewmen with a list of parts Nhadalha had shipped over from Bikanel. It took all the patience he had not to demand where she was as he listened to the man drone on. At last, he waved him away to the man he'd put in charge of deliveries before he spotted her in the distance, leaning on the bridge.

As he approached, he noticed her quite sort of silence. She was watching a sphere she cradled in her hands, the expression on her face was somewhere between hopeful longing and desolation. He almost didn't want to interrupt her but the look on her face was so sad, he couldn't help but try and get her to smile.

"Hey, Cid's girl."

"I have a name," she replied automatically, not even bothering to look up.

"What is that?"

She finally looked up and, as if just noticing him, smiled. "Hey, Gippal! This? Well...here."

He took the sphere and watched it silently. Something about the sphere reminded him of that time two years before...but he still hadn't told Rikku about that. Why was she so entranced by it? Before he could ask, she answered.

"It looks like him. I can't be certain since it's so fuzzy, but...what if it is?"

Gippal stiffened. Perhaps feeling he would not do favorably in the comparison between the man who had sacrificed himself to save the world, Gippal had been careful not to ask about him. A few stray comments here and there told him that this man had meant a lot to Rikku, a fact that bothered him more than he cared to admit to.

"What are you going to do?"

She grinned. "I'm going to go tell Yunie." Her smile faded and her eyes grew distant. "She has already done so much. She made the pilgrimage. She had to destroy the aeons, to send Auron and she had to watch the man she loved fade into nothing without being able to touch him to say goodbye. And instead of getting a break, she is constantly hounded with petty squabbles and is put in the middle of fights." She looked at him. "She deserves a break. She deserves a life. So, maybe, just maybe, if I show her this sphere, she will have the will to take her life in hand. Maybe she can be happy."

Gippal began to relax when he heard that the boy was Yuna's love. He began to smile at her determination to give her cousin a better life.

"There you go, Cid's girl. You saved the world, next to save your cousin. Again with all that limitless energy."

"Oh, I didn't save the world. I just helped. And look at you! The Machine Faction isn't just Al Bhed anymore. Somehow, you have managed to do what no one else could and joined the Al Bhed with everyone else."

Gippal fought a blush at her words. "Yeah, yeah. Don't be too complimentary. You'll make my head swell."

"Not possible. Your head is already so big I don't think it could get any bigger." She grinned. "But seriously, Gippal, people are beginning to say that you are going to be the next leader of the Al Bhed."

He was started, not having heard about this rumor before. "Heh. I'm sure Cid is grooming you to follow him. You have the qualifications."

She shrugged, glancing away at the finishing workers. "I doubt it. What kind of leader would I be anyway? Who would follow me?" she asked, distracted.

"I would," he grinned.

She laughed at him. "I bet. I'd lead you into trouble and chaos."

"Just how I like it," he quipped, tugging on the long scarf she still wore around her neck.

"Don't you just," she looked away. "Time to go. We were on our way from Mt. Gagazet to Besaid but you said it was urgent you get this, so here I am. Big meanie, bossing me around."

"You bet, Cid's girl. Always will."

She laughed. "Got to go. If Yunie comes, I'll bring her by sometime to meet you. I know you've always had a crush on her."

He chuckled. "Do that. Watch yourself."

"I survived Sin, Gippal. I think I can handle a few fiends," she called over her shoulder as she left.

"I hope you're right," he muttered before going back to work.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

I had to write this chapter twice, very annoying. I located the cut scene from FFX international that shows Rikku telling Yuna and all that. Never got to see it before, finally explains when the hell we saw Yaibal though. Anyway, thanks to all reviewers. You are my joy.


	16. Pt Two Chapter Nine

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Nine**

**2 Years E.C.**

He really shouldn't be too offended that she just walked straight past him. Really, with such a change in outfit, he'd barely recognized her (and when he had, he'd been too caught up in the view that he didn't think to call out). Still, he wasn't walking around mostly naked and looking all different. So that wasn't any excuse for her not to notice him.

Perhaps, he was just getting touchy.

Still, in revenge, he walked straight past her and her two companions (whom he had barely noticed since it was hard to tear his eyes away from her). He walked straight up to the temple doors and decided to do what he was supposed to (for once) to keep her waiting.

"Okay. Let's do some interviews. Bring it!"

He strode into his office, the first applicant following shortly. He suffered through five or six of the blasted interviews before he decided enough was enough and walked out. He looked over to his men standing outside of his office and spoke to them quietly in Al Bhed.

"I have already interviewed people. One of you guys take over."

Gippal was about to walk past Rikku just to bait her when one of her friends caught his eye and made him stop. He looked closer and realized that Rikku had made good on her promise to bring Yuna to meet him. "Huh?"

"Hello!"

"You, uh, here for the interview?" he asked doubtfully.

"Uh-huh."

"The great High Summoner wants an interview?"

"Former Summoner."

Rikku's hope of convincing her cousin to change seemed to becoming reality if this was her response. Perhaps digging was just one more step in getting the older girl to grasp a life of her own. Or perhaps Cid's girl just felt like playing around on Bikanel

"Hm. All right. Follow me."

He strode past them curious despite himself. Rikku was partially right by saying he'd had a crush on Yuna, but really it had been the keen interest of a curious boy about a girl he knew to be exceptional. And now he got to meet her at last. Thanks to Cid's girl.

Cid's girl who had definitely grown up. He had noticed, of course, that she was maturing, but in the outfit she had used to wear, it was harder to tell. In the skimpy bit she was prancing about in, he began to wonder how he'd missed so much. Had it really been two years since he had kissed her?

His thoughts were interrupted by a new recruit with questions. Gippal stopped to talk to him and wondered what was taking the girls so long. Finally, he saw them approach out of the corner of his eye. He finished his conversation and turned to them

A part of him couldn't help but harass Yuna. Who said someone had to grow up when they got older?  
"Never been this close to a celebrity before," he muttered, which wasn't strictly true. Both Rikku and Cid were fairly famous, so were Nooj and Baralai, but none of them near the level of the great High Summoner.

"That's nice."

"I could get used to this," he continued to tease.

"Let's not," she answered uncomfortably.

With a grin, he finally turned to Rikku, who had been watching with a small smile, telling him she knew what he was up to.

"Well, if it isn't Cid's girl," he jeered as he approached her. "How you been?" The question was genuine. He didn't care if she had proved how tough she really was, he still worried, and missed, her when they went so long without seeing each other.

'Hey, I have a name!"

So much for getting a straight answer. "Heh. Brother doing okay?" He didn't really care. In fact, his eyes were locked on the scarf dancing around her legs. Nice legs.

"Same as ever. Buddy's around, too," she offered, her tone flirtatious. She still wanted him.

"Same as ever is right," he muttered cryptically. Curiosity assuaged he turned towards the third girl and felt a sharp shock. "You!"

"Paine. Nice to meet you," she interjected, her tone laced with meaning.

"Uh-huh?" Why was Paine here? She obviously wasn't looking for him...was she a sphere hunter now? How on Spira did she end up traveling with Rikku?

"We're here for the interview," she continued leadingly.

Gippal knew there was a story there. He also knew that he wasn't getting anything out of her now and she obviously didn't want Rikku and Yuna to know... "Right, the interview..." There wasn't any real point in conducting a formal interview. He knew Paine as well as anybody did and knew Yuna through her spheres to Rikku...and well Rikku was one of the best out there... So really there was only one thing to ask.

"You sure you want to dig? Cause we're talking about the desert, ladies. Not exactly a picnic."

Cid's girl rolled her eyes as Yuna answered. "We're sure."

"All right, you're hired. Welcome."

"Huh?" Yuna asked obviously confused. Rikku looked amused, clearly unsurprised. Really, they should be confused if he did give a full interview or said no.

"You. Are. Hired. Don't know why a superstar like you would want to play in the sand." He shrugged. They really could use the help and he doubted he'd find any more capable people. "Well, do what you gotta do. Anyways, I've done what I can. Dig to your heart's content."

"Um, thanks."

Was she always so reticent, Gippal wondered as he called someone over and scribbled down a quick note. He walked over to Yuna, Knowing full well that Rikku'd have no need for something like an intro letter and that Paine wouldn't be bothered to carry it, especially when he got the feeling she wasn't doing this out of any desire of her own.

"Show this letter to a woman named Nhadala. You'll find her in the Bikanel desert." well, really it was the Sanubian desert, but scores of lost diggers taught him not to call it that. He looked around the three girls before turning to leave. "Happy digging!"

As he walked past, he casually flicked one side of Rikku's scarf. He had work to do and needed to get his mind back to business, but still he couldn't help grinning. As much as Cid's girl wasn't wearing much, she was wearing the scarf he gave her and that's all that mattered.

"I wonder if Paine knows who she's been traveling with..."

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

Fun with writing from a game script. Meant to update awhile back...got sick...ah well.


	17. Pt Two Chapter Ten

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Ten**

**2 Years 2 Weeks E.C.**

Immediately after his return from Youth League Headquarters, Gippal called a meeting to discuss the fiends in the temples. Part of him was annoyed at the necessity of sending over people to Mushroom Rock Road to begin with, but he forgave them their stupidity in the absence of their leader. Still, Nooj may be a friend, but he still coddled his followers. However, he _was_ a friend.

Yet, from what they were telling him, the Machine Faction might need every last man to defend their own home. Already most of his people were injured which told Gippal that these were not your average fiends. Anyone raised on Bikanel could hold his own, yet here they were being ripped apart. And now it was up to him to make the decisions, up to him to decide what to do, how to do it.

It was up to him to save lives.

And it was at this time that Gippal saw them approach out of the corner of his eye. He frowned in frustration. He had been sincere when he told Yaibal that they needed to rely on the High Summoner less, not only because they needed to grow backbones, but because he genuinely felt that she had done enough. Cid's girl was right: Yuna needed to live her own life now. If it got all of them out of harm's way, that was just a bonus. Yet, something told him that the girls weren't there to get out of harm's way. When they got close he turned towards them and forced a smile.

"Hey, it's Cid's little girl," he teased as he gently shoved her head.

"I have a name," she responded sulkily, fixing her hair.

He saw Yuna smile and glance between them as a sparkle of curiosity gleamed in Paine's eyes. "You seem close," Yuna observed after a moment.

Gippal grinned. "We made quite the couple," he offered. He had a feeling that Rikku hadn't said anything about him to her companions for some reason.

On cue, she shoved him, squealing in Al Bhed, "What are you saying?" As she turned to cover her blush, Gippal wondered just what her reasons were.

"Rikku's always good for a laugh," he commented before sobering up. "If you're here about digging, now isn't the best time."

Characteristically quickly restored, Rikku sauntered over to him with a suggestive smile. "Well, there were fiends here, too, right? Want us to help clean up for you?"

Gippal's heart dropped. "Fiend hunting? What you guys give up the sphere gig?" he asked, hoping desperately that they'd say no.

Yuna nodded. "Temporarily. Right now we're helping people out. Maybe…," she began, stepping up to him in an echo of Rikku's persuasive manner, "you'd like to hire us?"

Dread filled him at the idea of them going into fight the fiends in the temples. He knew all three of them were strong, but…all three of them were important to him: Yuna as someone to immulate, Pain as a close friend and Cid's girl as…well, _his_ girl. No. He wouldn't let them put themselves in any more danger than he could stop.

"Nope. You already took care of Sin. We can't go running to you every time we get into trouble." He walked up to Yuna with as much cockiness as he could muster. "I watch my own back."

"Hmph. Show off."

He glanced at Rikku with a smirk. If she thought he was just being full of it, then the other two probably did as well. He'd be as concerned as he liked, but he'd die before he let them know it.

"Well, be careful," Yuna pleaded.

"You, too," he answered, turning away from the three girls.

"Right."

"Let's go," Paine sighed after a moment.

Yuna and Paine turned to leave but Rikku stayed behind, staring intently at Gippal's back.

"So, you take care of yourself do you?"

He didn't look back at her. "So, I heard you got lost looking for the dig site. Passed out even."

Her cocky air evaporated and after a moment, she turned and walked away. He laughed quietly before turning his mind back to the problem at hand.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

Wow. I wrote so much so long ago. Anyhow, I have a job where I have NOTHING to do all day, so in the past couple days I've been writing this up. I should have the entire story finished by Friday of next week. It may not be typed up as quickly cause I get it proofread, but almost.

Thank you for your patience and the lovely reviews!


	18. Pt Two Chapter Eleven

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Eleven**

**2 Years 2 Weeks 1 Day E.C.**

Gippal had never particularly liked Bevelle. They had all been trained since birth to hate Bevelle as the people who had driven them into the isolation of Bikanel. Still, when Cid's girl had come home with stories of a huge city and having fun with her cousin, he wondered if it really was so very horrible. IN the end, he realized it was just a city and he could take it or leave it.

However it didn't make him any less irritated to be summoned to Bevelle on short notice.

Making a quick pit stop to take in the admittedly amazing view of the city, Gippal made his way down to the deep underworld of Bevelle. With all the political squabbling between the two organizations, he wondered why no one questioned him and the Machine Faction for being on good terms with both of them. IF he had to guess, he'd put it down to the fact that they were primarily an Al Bhed organization and everyone knew Al Bhed swore allegiance to no one but themselves. IT was a stereotype he wanted to get rid of despite his tendency to run his group more like a business than anything else.

Still, he could hardly fault people for their assumptions. Very few people knew that he was on close terms with both leaders. He was still a bit surprised at how far they had all come. How far he'd come. The two leaders of the two organizations of Spira came to him for advice.

Who would have ever guessed.

Certainly not Rikku.

He chuckled to himself at the thought of what she'd look like if she found out. She'd be surprised. But would she be impressed? Would his new found place in the world be enough?

His thoughts came to a sudden halt as he finally came to where Baralai and Nooj were waiting.

"Hey."

"You're late."

"If you were on time, then I'd really start to worry."

Gippal frowned, irritated at being yelled at when he came so far without any explanation. "Sure you guys should be here? The Youth League and New Yevon are crumbling without you guys to hold 'em together."

"You expect too much," Nooj replied bitterly.

"Learn from us!" Gippal exclaimed proudly. He knew well that if he disappeared that the Machine Faction would be fine without him. "So, …why are we here?"

"There is something I needed to be sure of," Baralai answered. "Vegnagun is gone."

Gippal felt like rolling his eyes. All the way to Bevelle for that? Nooj seemed to share his exasperation, though perhaps for a different reason.

"Listen to you: 'Vegnagun is gone.' Are you trying to tell us that since that thing left on it's own, Yevon's not to blame?"

"It's the truth. The thing is more sensitive than its size would lead one to believe. It detects hostility and in an instant, springs to life! Should one even think of harming it, it awakens like a frightened child."

Gippal gazed into the gapping hole that had been left in Vegnagun's wake. He had been working on machine all his life, but this…a machine that acted on its own…. After a second, he interrupted their squabbling.

"Wait, so you're saying that Vegnagun woke up because someone was trying to destroy it? Who?"

"Who indeed," Baralai replied turning to Nooj. "I'm a little confused. You came to claim it for yourself, didn't you? But Vegnagun awoke. Why? Because deep down you hated it. Did you come here to use it or destroy it? Well?"

They both stared at Nooj expectantly.

"Both. You probably think that's impossible. You've always been too naïve to see. I wouldn't' expect you to understand."

Gippal stared at Nooj, amazed. While it was true that Baralai had always been a bit naïve, he had never been stupidly so. Nooj was out and out attacking Baralai. Why?

"Then, I hope you don't expect me to trust you, either. I believed in you once – when we were training for the Crimson Squad. I thought I'd never find a better friend. But you betrayed that…two years ago."

Gippal watched in horror as Baralai pulled out a gun and aimed it at Nooj. "Baralai!"

"Why did you shoot? Why did you shoot Gippal and me? We were friends, and you shot us in the back!"

Nooj's stony silence only seemed to make Baralai more angry.

"Answer me!"

Gippal was shocked. He had always been one to put things behind him and judging from the way he had acted since then, he thought Baralai had done the same. He'd never have guessed at the seething pool of anger and betrayal that was now bursting forth.

"Just calm down! Nooj! Apologize already!" Gippal pleaded to both of them but they just stared at each other, ignoring him. "That's enough! Don't push me…." As a last resort, he pulled out his own gun and aimed it at Baralai. Whatever he might feel at the moment, Gippal knew that Baralai would regret shooting Nooj in the end. "If this is what it takes."

As if flipping a switch, Nooj reacted to Gippal's gun as he hadn't to Baralai's. Without warning, he dropped his cane and the glow of pyreflies seemed to come from him rather than around him.

"This has turned out perfectly, wouldn't you agree? Yes, I shot you." Nooj then drew his gun and aimed it at Gippal. "You were easy targets. You…and Paine."

For a moment, the name shook Gippal out of the raw panic that was coursing through him at the familiar scene and the eerie voice he could almost recognize.

"You shot Paine, too?"

"Why?" Baralai asked again, more forcefully. When Nooj just laughed he almost screamed, "Answer me!"

Gippal wasn't surprised at this further sign of aggression. It had been a silent understanding that Baralai had his eye on Paine. Knowing that she, too, had been attacked just might have pushed him over the edge.

"I made him do it." The voice wasn't Nooj's, but Gippal recognized it from two years ago. "He was too weak to resist me."

"Nooj?" he asked, knowing it wasn't him, desperate to hear from Nooj all the same.

"I don't expect you to present any more of a challenge. Not now."

Suddenly, a rush of pyreflies erupted from Nooj's body and flowed into Baralai. Gippal watched Nooj fall and rushed to him, dropping his aim on Baralai at last.

"See, I found that the mind that hates and despairs is the easiest to break," the voice continued, now speaking through Baralai. "Two years ago, it was the same with you, Nooj. Seeking your own death. Now you can have it."

The shade possessing Baralai raised the gun and fixed it on Nooj. Blind with panic, Gippal reached out. "Wait!"

Then, out of nowhere, a completely unexpected voice called out, "Stop!" Fear unlike anything else rushed into him as he turned to see not only Paine, but Rikku and Yuna rushing towards them. How did they manage to find them, now of all times?

"Paine, get out of here!" Nooj yelled, but the three girls were overcome by a Marlboro.

Gippal stood torn for a moment. He knew that if they weren't quick, the shade possessing Baralai would get away, but he wanted nothing more than to pull Rikku out of harm's way.

"Come on!" Nooj growled, grabbing his arm. "They can handle themselves. You know that."

"I-," Gippal began to protest before sighing heavily and turning to follow Baralai. He knew they could handle themselves. And he had a job to do.

But that didn't make leaving her any easier.

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I don't own these characters

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A/N:

See, I posted more very quickly. I'm going to post the next chapter tomorrow probably. Then there may be a bit of a break. I want to view a scene again and it's going to take me a bit to get to it. But…I wanna make sure I get it right.

And, let me know if you think Gippal's inner monologues are getting annoying. I'll cut them short.


	19. PT Two Chapter Twelve

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Twelve**

**2 Years 3 Weeks 2 Day E.C.**

"Do you normally carry a set of tools on you at all times?"

Gippal looked at Nooj as if the other man was asking him if he normally breathed. "Nooj. I repair machine for a living. I'm Al Bhed. Either of those facts alone should tell you the answer tot hat. Now shut up a minute. I think I know what this does."

Nooj sighed and stalked off to the edge of the little corner of the floating circle they were standing on. If someone had asked Gippal what he'd thought the Farplane looked like, this almost organic combination of rocks would not have been his answer. Nor would he have predicted the things out to kill them. Like the last impressive thing they'd just killed off. An aeon if he'd had to guess.

"What do you think happens to you if you die in the Farplane?" Gippal mused aloud as he reconnected loose wires.

"There's an interesting thought," Nooj agreed, neglecting to sound irritated for the first time since they'd stopped. "And coming from an Al Bhed. I tho9ught your people didn't believe in the Farplane."

"Actually, we do believe in the Farplane. It physically exists and we were never the stupid sort to not believe things that were staring us in the face." Nooj made a face as if he wanted to comment but was cut off as Gippal continued. "It was more the part about pyreflies in the Farplane being the souls of people and not just a handy reflection of the people we knew." He paused, putting the screwdriver in his mouth for a moment. "Still, I never was the most traditional Al Bhed."

Nooj chuckled. "I guess not. Are you finished yet?"

"Actually, I think so, yes."

Gippal flipped a switch and the device he'd been working on rose into the air to flutter around their heads. The blue tinge of the sphere face told him that it was recording. Or, more correctly, transmitting.

"Impressive machina! An invention like this could change the world," he mused, staring up at the device which seemed to have focused on him. "Whoever came up with this is a genius." Gippal pondering the likelihood of getting whoever it was to work for him. "Guess I'm a genius, too, for fixing it!" He waved his arms. "Anybody home?"

Seconds ticked by filled with empty silence from the device. He could swear he heard the soft whir of it transmitting but perhaps there was something wrong with it.

"No response. Hmm." Maybe the audio….

"Some genius," Nooj harrumphed as he walked up to him. "IF you are done playing, let's go."

"Chill out," Gippal returned. If he could reroute the receiver wire and the transmitter with the…

"Lose your nerve?" Nooj taunted.

That broke Gippal from his machine minded thoughts. He gave Nooj a look. "Hey, we're talking about Vegnagun. How the heck do you fight that thing? We can't even walk up to it without freakin' it out."

"Or making it mad," Nooj agreed. "But I've got a plan."

"If it doesn't work?"

"Death will be my apology."

Gippal rolled his eye. "Whatever man. When a Deathseeker dies, that's no apology." He grinned. "What about Leblanc?"

Nooj's façade broke for a moment. "Well she will be killed if we don't do anything so…."

Gippal laughed. "You really don't know what to do with her do you? I mean, not that I blame you. Leblanc drives me insane."

"She's got a very strong personality." Gippal eyed him in silence. "What?"

"She got to you didn't she? Can't say I blame you, really. She's pretty hot under they psycho personality."

"Like I need this from you," Nooj snorted. "What happened to the girl you were always going on about?"

"What about her?"

Nooj glared at him. "What do you mean what about her? I thought you were in love with her."

"Oh, I am."

"Then where is she?"

"I imagine she'll probably be down here soon enough. She and the High Summoner never were good at staying out of trouble. And you know how Paine is."

Nooj stopped walking. "You mean the Al Bhed that travels with those two…?"

"Rikku."

"Huh. Did she always travel around dressed like that?"

"That would be a no. Her father would have killed her if she'd wandered around like that on the pilgrimage."

"And what, he doesn't care now?"

"I don't think she asked. She and Brother haven't gotten on with their father since he blew up Home."

"Wait. So she is the Al Bhed Elder's daughter? Aiming high aren't you?"

"Guy has to have ambition."

"So what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's been two years. Why is she wandering around with the Gullwings and not at Djose with you?"

Gippal laughed. "Cage Cid's girl? In one place? Nah. Even if we were _married_ I'd bet she'd still run off as often as she could. Hopefully she'd take me along though."

"You still aren't together though. You made it sound like you were going to find her as soon as you could."

Gippal smirked. "She's Cid's girl, right? One of Yuna's Guardians, daughter to the leader of the Al Bhed. She kicks ass and takes names and she can assemble and disassemble a machine faster than I can, though don't tell her I sad that. And me? Who am I?"

"You're the leader of the Machine Faction."

"That's nothing."

"Gippal. You are the last one I'd have expected to need a pep talk. Not with your ego. You are only eighteen, for Spira's sake and there's not much you _haven't _done. What's left to do to make you feel worthy?"

Gippal grinned, a happy egotistical expression. "Have to save the world for my girl now don't I?"

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to PrettyGothGirl and the Quite the Couple community without which, I probably wouldn't have written it. Yay! On an up note...I have perhaps three (short) chapters left to go before this is done. Finis. Finite! Owari!

The next chapter is going to be impossibly long and if it isn't posted tonight it should be tomorrow. Depends on how much energy it takes to type it up. (I write everything on paper first. Hardcopy is esential when your computer hates you as much as mine does.) Thanks to everyone who reviewed since my last update! Heart!


	20. Pt Two Chapter Thirteen

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**2 Years 3 Weeks 4 Day E.C.**

Gippal was beginning to doubt the wisdom of going into the Farplane with only a crippled man to accompany him. Sure, Nooj was still good in a fight but the fiends in the Farplane were unlike any they had ever experience before. With only a dinky little potion left, he'd sent Nooj on ahead and tried to get his bearings back.

And okay, the sight of watching Nooj having to make his way around the magical floatie stones had been enough of a show to make the pain bearable. He leaned his head against the surprisingly stable structure behind him. The potion had helped but not enough to convince him to try and stand. NO where near enough to try those ridiculous magical stones.

Off in the distance, he could hear the sounds of the other musical puzzle. The easier one. He didn't need two guesses to know who it was.

"Excellent. White mage."

Minutes ticked by before he finally saw them approach in the distance. Cid's girl was _skipping_ for Spira's sake. It was a bit hard for a man to take knowing that his girlfriend…sort of…was a bit more of a badass than he was.

"Gippal!"

He winced, trying to stand a little but giving up. Instead, he watched as she ran to him at full tilt. He tried not to smile when he saw tears in her eyes as she dropped to her knees beside him.

"I got…careless," he breathed.

"Are you alright?" Paine asked as she reached him.

"I could use…a nap," he sighed. He squeezed Rikku's hand. He really just wanted to run off with her and forget the whole thing but that wasn't really an option. She squeezed back and he could feel her tensing with worry.

"Where's Nooj?" Yuna asked, concerned.

"He went ahead." He felt Rikku jerk, clutching his hand tighter, and looked up the path. He could feel her pulse leap and he knew she was waiting for a fiend to appear. Instead they found something worse.

"Guess she couldn't stay away."

Gippal sighed as Leblanc and her two idiots walked up.

"I never said where I would wait!"

"Well, then please, take care of Gippal."

He blinked. Since when did he need taking care of? By Leblanc of all people. He opened his mouth to speak but Cid's girl gave him the evil eye and he shut it again.

"You dare give me an order?"

Maybe he'd get out of it.

"Look, we'll tell Nooj you're waiting like a good girl and doing your part for the team," Pain said persuasively.

Leblanc flitted her eyes over to him then back to Yuna. "All right, I'm in."

He sighed. He'd fix that when the three of them went on. "Hey, Dr. P," He called, getting their attention. "A gift from Nooj." He pulled a sphere from his pocket and offered it to her. "It's from two years ago. Said it was inside the sphere camera."

She looked at it, hesitating. "I'll watch it later."

Yuna argued. "Hey. You should watch it now. Think about it. You know you won't be able to fight your best as long as it's on your mind."

Pain thought a moment before nodding ever so slightly. "You're right."

Gippal watched as the three girls crowded around the sphere. He didn't bother to try; he'd already watched it anyway. He also remembered the night in perfect detail, even if it seemed eons past two years ago. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Rikku as she watched a scene between the only friends they hadn't ever shared. True, she and Pain were obviously close now, but he was willing to bet that she hadn't exchanged more than two words with Nooj or Baralai. She was good at leaving the talking to others.

HE wondered what she was thinking as she watched. Even to him it sounded like he was making plans to run off with another girl and not look back. He hoped she knew that'd never be the case but all the same, he knew he hadn't done much to prove otherwise. He should work on that.

"What happened to that Pain, I wonder?"

Her voice broke him out of his reverie and he focused on Yuna as she began to reply.

"She's inside you, sleeping."

"Well wakey, wakey! Time to set sail!" Trust Rikku to be cheesier than her cousin.

"Your captain and your navigator are waiting!" Or not.

All three of them turned to the crazy floatie stones that lay before them. Rikku paused, looking back at him, but he waved her on with a wink. He watched them go before turning to the only non-Al Bhed blonde he'd ever met.

"I don't know about you, but I have no intention of just sitting here."

Leblanc narrowed her eyes. "We're supposed to wait here. Nooj…."

"Nooj is an idiot. Especially if he thinks you are just going to wait around." She smiled a little. "Anyway, you guys know any white magic? Cause I could use a bit of a boost."

"And why should I waste it on you? We could always go by ourselves!"

"Because if you _do_ just leave me behind, I'm sure Nooj will be upset. Especially since the girls are bound to tell him that you are here with me."

She stared at him for a moment and he could almost _see_ the wheels in her head turning. "Fair enough," she said simplistically. "I only know low level white magic so that will have to do."

Gippal stood, stretching out his newly healed muscles. They weren't completely back to normal but it was much better and would just have to do. Last time he wandered in dangerous places with a gimp. He looked at the somewhat comedic trio and gestured to the fiendish musical puzzle.

"Come on. Follow me. I know the order to this sadistic little test."

They spent the next several minutes jumping around like a bunch of morons (which Gippal actually found pretty amusing since Leblanc's minions were far from graceful) before they finally reached the solid path that led to Vegnagun. He could hear voices in the distance and gave Leblanc, finding that she too was trying to hear whatever was being said.

"'We had no choice.' Always 'we had no choice.' Those are our magic words. We repeat them to ourselves again and again. But you know…the magic never worked. The only thing we're left with is regret."

Gippal slowed as he listened. He was once more struck by just how hard it must have been on the High Summoner to sacrifice the aeons and to watch a friend and a lover disappear before her eyes. He knew it'd been tough on Rikku and she hadn't had nearly the relationship with them that Yuna'd had.

"No. I don't want this anymore." A pause stretched out and Gippal found himself glancing at Leblanc who seemed to be thinking of the perils for the first time. "I don't want friends to die, or fade away. I don't want battles where we have to lose in order to win. Nooj I know that what you say is what you mean to do. Give me your resolve. Believe in Yuna."

"Hmm. So you have a plan?"

At Nooj's voice, all four of them quickened their pace.

"Light?" Dr. P asked.

"That's plan B. But before that…. Hey Rikku. No matter how monstrous it looks, Vegnagun is still just a machina. So we can take it apart, right?"

"Uh…yeah…uh, maybe?"

Gippal rolled his eye at the hesitation in her voice.

"You never used to be the think-before-you-act type. What gives?"

Everyone turned to look at them, startled, and Gippal couldn't hide a smirk at surprising all of them. Nor could he resist letting it grow into a full smile at the relief he saw in Rikku's eyes when she saw him.

"Leblanc!" Nooj cried like a scandalized old lady.

"And I never was the wait-like-a-good-girl type. Isn't that right, Noojie?"

Gippal ignored his friend's woman troubles and turned to look at Rikku.

"Vegnagun can be destroyed. Abso-posi-you better believe it. Wanna know why?"

Rikku flourished under his expectant gaze, all doubt erased from her features. "Cause people built it!"

"Right!" Yuna agreed. "Everyone! It looks like we can stop that thing after all."

The platform they stood on shook as Vegnagun moved, as if reacting to Yuna's words.

"Buahahah! Now it's pissed!"

"Witless little widget, isn't it?"

"What about Shuyin?" Nooj asked.

"Plan B!"

"Oh?"

"Love."

"Noo puo," Gippal sighed. That could be interesting.

"The ultimate illusion," Nooj commented making him smile. He wondered how Leblanc managed to be so in love with the moron who didn't believe in it.

"It'll work!" the High Summoner persisted. "I've come this far to bring Lenne's feelings to Shuyin. I'm not stopping now."

"The power of love conquers all! So romantic! Count me in."

Seriously. She was the delusional one.

Vegnagun jerked violently, distracting everyone from the conversation. "Look!" Paine shouted. Heads turned and everyone watched as the giant machina woke fully and pushed back the platforms that made up the pathway they'd been standing on. They all lept out of the way of its massive body as it pushed them back. When they all made their way to stable ground again, Yuna spoke up.

"If we all attack at once, we can do this! We need to split up!"

"Leave the legs to us," Leblanc offered promptly.

"We've got the torso," Gippal agreed.

"Guess that leaves the tail," Cid's girl finished cheerfully.

"Okay, let's go!"

Gippal watched the Ridiculous Trio leave before eyeing Nooj who had turned to Paine.

"See you later!"

Gippal rolled his eye as the two made their way up to the massive torso. He couldn't help commenting. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you had a crush on Dr. P."

"I will kill you myself if you don't shut up."

Barely suppressing a laugh, he turned to the fight before him. The battle seemed to go on forever. He was exhausted and still sore from the earlier wound but he knew he had to continue. At one point, he'd even had to take a hit for Nooj, leaving him worse off than before. Just as he was wondering how much longer he'd be able to go on, he heard a cheerful voice behind them.

"Woohoo! No more climbing!"

He almost lost his composure at the trademark Rikku hilarity but instead fired at the torso. It immediately retaliated with its lasers, hitting he and Nooj hard. He looked back to find that Leblanc had appeared from somewhere and that he and Nooj was pretty much at his breaking point as well.

"This thing just keeps on ticking."

"We'll finish it," Pain stated calmly, wounding his masculine pride a bit to know that he couldn't finish a fight when the girls had already won two (assuming they'd had to finish off the legs for Leblanc).

"Do it," Nooj agreed.

They made quick work of the torso making Gippal wonder if they'd given up a bit too soon. The Giant machina began to slow before the head of the monstrosity crashed down on the platform they'd gathered on. For a moment, nothing happened.

"What now?" Pain asked in the ensuing silence.

"Uh…maybe we're finished?" Rikku offered tentatively.

"Finished indeed."

"Baralai!" Nooj shouted, voicing everyone's shock at the ghostly image of the shade not quite contained in Baralai's body.

"All of Spira is finished!"

At his words, the remnants of Vegnagun came to life once more as Shuyin/Baralai began once more to play the musical control panel.

"He's got a plan B!" Rikku cried.

"This is it everybody! Stay focused!"

Which was easier said than done when a massive barrel began forming out of Vegnagun. Gippal knew it was bad news if they didn't stop it as did everyone else. Immediately, the girls rushed into battle. Time stopped or sped up. Gippal wasn't entirely sure. Whatever the case, all the previous damage done had taken its toll and the battle didn't last long. Vegnagun was completely defeated.

They watched in silence as the shade possessing Baralai descended from the now disabled head. Out of the corner of his eye, Gippal saw the flash of light that signified a change in those strange dressphere things. When he looked, he found Yuna in the same outfit she'd worn earlier in the meadow. He also saw Rikku only a foot or so from him. He reached out and pulled her to him. She clutched at his hand, not taking her yes from Yuna and Baralai.

"Shuyin."

"Lenne?" the shade asked, uncertain, as if seeing something that the rest of them couldn't.

"There's something I must tell you. Words left unspoken for a thousand years." Gippal was lost. What was Yuna up to? "I love you. And I'm grateful that you stayed with me until the end." Gippal stared, completely confused. When did Yuna have anything to do with the guy?

"But I couldn't save you!"

"It doesn't matter. Please don't go on grieving alone. Rest." At the last word, Yuna's voice changed, or rather it was as if more than one person were speaking.

As Gippal watched, the shade stepped out of Baralai's body and Gippal lurched forward to catch him as he fell, unconscious.

"We can finally fade…together?' it asked before stopping short. "No."

"Wait!"

"You are not Lenne!" Angry, Shuyin began to attack her. Rikku and Paine rushed to help her as he struggled to drag Baralai out of the way. The fight didn't last long and when it ended Gippal almost felt bad for the guy. Waiting so long for someone he would never see again.

"Shuyin…" Yuna began.

"Don't try and tell me you understand."

Yuna's body jerked and a figure stepped away from her body.

"Lenne?" Shuyin asked, ache and awe filling his voice.

She reached out and held his hand with a soft smile.

"Lenne."

"Hi there."

"A thousand years, and this moment is all we get?"

"This moment's enough. I don't need anything else. Just knowing how you feel is enough." She smiled at him. "Shuyin, let's end this. Let's go home."

"Can we?"

She reached out and put her hands on either shoulder, smiling down at him sadly, yet with hope.

"That was all a thousand years ago. We've come too far to look back now. Rest, Shuyin. Rest with me."

Shuyin stood and pulled her into his arms, holding her desperately.

"Let's go. I have a new song for you," Lenne spoke softly. She turned her face to Yuna. "Thank you."

At those words, they faded away before their eyes. Everyone looked around at each other before silently gathering themselves to leave. Gippal stumbled a little, wincing at the pain in his side. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around him and he looked down to find Rikku draping his arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at him tiredly. He smiled back before looking over to Baralai's prone form. As he watched, Paine and Yuna pulled his arms around their shoulders to carry him between themselves. Midway through the motion, he woke. Still weak, he leaned heavily on Paine but was mostly able to walk on his own.

No one spoke as they left the Farplane. He and Rikku didn't need to. He wrapped his arm around her back, holding her as much as his wound would let him. It was enough.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: I really, truly, could not resist Gippal's constant internal dialogue. This was the chapter that actually delayed the entire story. I didn't want to write it because most of it would be game script and not my words and that just feels too ugh to me. I hate trying to interpret someone else's work and put it in my words. So...insert weird commentary.

It is probably one of the worst chapters in the story in terms of writing but...again...i tried. The rest should be better!


	21. Pt Two Chapter Fourteen

**Part Two – Creating the Recto**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**2 Years 4 Weeks E.C.**

"And to think I'm going to miss out on you acting like a pompous ass in front of thousands of people."

He leaned over her where she stood, back against the cold wall at the far edge of the dock where everyone was meeting to say their farewells in a few minutes. She smiled up at him and he couldn't resist stroking her arms with light fingers.

"You could always stay."

Worry clouded her eyes and she shook her head. "No. We really need to get Yuna home. She may not look it, but not finding _him_ at the end of our search has left her a little raw."

He sighed. "Poor girl. She's had it a bit rough."

"Yeah. Imagine not ever being able to see the one you love again."

He looked down at her, stricken at the thought. Without warning, he leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body into him. It was an instant flare of the passion they normally kept under such tight control. Nothing mattered but how she felt pressed against him, the way she tasted and the sweet things her mouth was doing to his senses. It might have gone on for hours if they hadn't heard someone clearing their throat pointedly. They broke apart to find Paine straight at them, amusement alight in her eyes.

"You may want to stop that before Brother sees you."

"Screw him," Rikku replied breathlessly.

"So…there something you two want to tell me?" Paine asked, not bothering to hide the humor in her voice.

He looked down at Rikku, unable to say that he still wasn't quite ready for what Paine was implying. Not while Paine stared at them expectantly. He opened his mouth to say something, if not the _right_ thing, when Cid's girl spoke first.

"Nope! Nothing to say at all!"

He grinned, tugging on her scarf a bit. "Maybe later, Dr. P."

Paine rolled here eyes at both of them and turned away, muttering something about denial. When he looked back at Rikku, he saw some of the laughter had left her eyes.

"Rikku...."

"I know, Gippal. Just don't make me wait a thousand years, huh?"

"Never intended to."

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: And that's it! That is the end of part two! Finally! Woohoo!

More tomorrow. I totally forgot to write the interlude chapter. Went straight to part three. Ah well.


	22. Paine Sphere Initial

**Paine Sphere – Initial**

Gippal leaned heavily on the bridge that led to Djose, his eyes focused somewhere in the distance. He shifted his weight with a sigh and stood for several seconds before dropping his head with another sigh.

"You sound troubled," a voice commented out of view.

Gippal looked over his shoulder before turning to face the sphere recorder. "Hey there Dr. P. What's with the sphere recorder?"

"Thought I'd record my trip."

"Oh? And you decided to start here? Some trip."

"Oh, really I just swung by to see you and record."

"Because I'm so handsome?"

"Because you usually do something stupid."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Harsh Dr. P." He looked at her, narrowing his eye slightly. "Why are you really here?"

"Oh, I had something to tell you."

"And what's that?" he asked with a wry style.

"That you're stupid."

He frowned, eyebrows lowered sardonically. "Thanks, Dr. P. What did I do to deserve that this time?"

"You know, I don't even know if I could say it was a 'this time'. It's probably been going on for a long time now that I think about it."

"Paine. Stop being cryptic."

"About how you are making Rikku wait for you."

His face fell and he turned back towards the water. "Oh."

"So you aren't even going to deny it."

"Didn't think there was much point. It is more or less the truth."

"So, then, why are you doing it?"

"I'm not ready yet."

A sigh resounded from behind the sphere recorder. "Ready for what? If you are going to tell me that you aren't ready to settle down, I'm going to slug you because we both know that nothing about Rikku would settle down."

He gave her a look over his shoulder. "Ya know, I still think it's a bit odd that you and she became friends. I'm surprised you didn't kill her after the fiftieth time she asked you something you didn't want to asnwer."

"I got close. She almost has fewer respect points than you do."

"Ouch. I haven't scored any in the past two years of not annoying you constantly?"

"Oh you did. You just lost about twenty of them when I found out you were stringing my friend along."

"Hey!" he objected, turning to face her. "I'm _not_ stringing her along! Half of Spira knows that she's my girl. Practically."

"So why isn't she your girl actually?"

His response was a long drawn out silence. Stiff shoulders gave the impression that he knew what he wanted to say and that she wouldn't agree wit him. After a minute, the sphere recorder sighed again.

"I'm going to take that as a replacement for a stupid answer. So I'll leave you alone after I say one more thing. Well, two."

"Only two?"

"Gippal."

He turned around, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "What?"

"First, I don't know what sort of stupid idea you have in your head about Rikku, but I know you are in love with her, so it is probably something to do with you being stupid about yourself."

"You are so good for my ego, ya know that Paine?"

"But, I'll tell you this: she doesn't care. I don't care what it is you've done or not done, she doesn't care. I have never me a more stupidly selfless person than Rikku. So get over yourself."

He sighed, looking away again. "And second?"

"Rikku deserves her happily ever after, not that you will ever tell her I said that."

He rolled his eye at her, smirking. "Alright."

"She deserves it. And if you aren't going to give it to her…she may well find someone else." A half-hidden laugh escaped from behind the sphere recorder at Gippal's narrowed eyes and fierce expression. "Just think about okay?"

He sighed. "Yeah. I will. Have fun on your trip, Paine."

"I intend to."

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: Wrote this twice and I still don't like it. May rewrite it again if I don't like it next week. hmm...


	23. Pt Three Chapter One

****

Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso

Chapter One

2 Years 4 months 3 weeks E.C.

"You know, Gippie, you should really work on your security."

Gippal jumped about twenty feet into the air and dropped his wrench, which thankfully did _not_ land on his foot, at the definitely not his voice in a should have been empty room.

"Sweet Spira, Cid's girl! Are you trying to kill me?"

"That wouldn't be as much fun," she laughed, bending over to pick up the fallen wrench. He couldn't help but watch her as she did, her skirt hitching up even more. He blinked, shaking his head, before remembering what he wanted to ask.

"Now, Cid's girl, tell me: why you are breaking into my room in the small hours of the morning?"

She ignored him, looking instead at the machine he'd been working on. "Why are you working on this in here? You don't get enough of it during the day so you feel you have to sleep with machina now too?"

"Pet project. Answer me, Rikku."

She grinned at him before stepping back a few steps and flopping down onto his bed. "What? Your friend can't visit you in the middle of the night any more?"

"Not without some suspicion," he replied forcing his mind past the fact that Rikku was in his bed. Barely dressed. In the middle of the night. "Now, what's up?"

"I really am just visiting." She sighed, pulling her legs up so she could rest her chin on her knees. "We all met up again and went to the Yadonki tower. It's pretty nifty. You should see it sometime."

"Will do."

"But, yeah. I realized that I hadn't seen you in almost four months. I shouldn't be getting my news about you from Paine, ya know?"

He laughed. "I'll agree with that." He sat down on the bed next to her, leaning on the wall behind him. "We've both been a bit busy though."

"Yeah. Still you know, I was…."

"Was?" he prompted after a few seconds of silence.

She looked at him over her shoulder. "I was lonely. For a few months, we were all seeing each other all the time. Then Poof! Nothing." She laid her cheek on her knees, angling her face to look at him. "It's like Paine said. I don't want us to grow apart." She smiled. "I think Paine feels it a lot. She might join back up with is since she's kinda lonely."

He reached forward and stroked her cheek. "Nothing is going to make us grow apart, Cid's girl."

She smiled sadly. "I didn't think I could grow apart from Yuna either and we spent the better part of our time at the tower arguing."

He frowned. "But you made up, right?" She nodded. "See? Don't worry."

She nodded and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. He could almost say that she seemed reassured but for the first time Gippal really wondered if she might not always wait for him.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: Yay! Part three at long last! Soon it will be finished! Yahoo!


	24. Pt Three Chapter Two

**Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso **

**Chapter Two**

** 3 Years 1 week 5 days E.C.**

It was done. Eight months of negotiations, arguments and long drawn out battles of will were over. All their work had paid off and now it was time to celebrate. This time the celebration did not end in a speech given at the Luca stadium (though they did that too). No, the celebration took to the streets packed so tight that it seemed all of Spira had come to celebrate. When night fell, fireworks were set off and even a ball began to commemorate the event.

They were celebrating the new Spira Alliance

Every race from Hypello to Cactuar had representation. Two members from each race joined together to make up a ruling body that would go over any decision that would effect the world as a whole. Each group would still be self-governed and there would still be some problems here and there, but, hopefully, with the Alliance, war would not break out between groups anymore. The world could keep the Eternal Calm.

Somehow, Gippal had wound up being an Al Bhed representative. Rikku had too, but that was no surprise. As much as she and Brother did not act like it – especially Brother – the Al Bhed looked to them as royalty. And while the position of Leader (or Elder) was not traditionally inherited, no one had argued when Cid had named Rikku as his successor. Not even Brother. Well, perhaps that wasn't entirely true.

Rikku had.

"I never thought I'd see you in a formal ball gown, Cid's girl," he grinned as he led her to the dance floor. "You look good."

She blushed, twitching the full skirt of the otherwise form fitting dress exactly the shade of her eyes. "I could kill Pops. I'm going to have to start wearing this stuff frequently now. Or so Lulu and Yuna say."

"It's not so bad. You're shoulders are still bare and so is most of your back. You are still partially undressed," he grinned.

She glowered at him, or tried to, but the expression devolved into an impish grin as he whirled her around in the formal dance. "So you've been looking then?"

His eyes clouded over with an expression that was entirely inappropriate for a ballroom. "Oh yeah. I noticed." He let his hand travel further down her back. "I think I even notice that you aren't wearing any underwear. At all."

The glimmer of mischief in her eyes confirmed his suspicions but she merely replied, "Wouldn't you like to know."

He groaned, tightening his grip on her. "You are a tease."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not! Tease implies that I give the wrong impression. I lead people on and don't deliver."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm totally willing to deliver."

He nearly tripped on the dance floor and Rikku laughed quietly. "You're killing me."

"It's good for you." She glanced over his shoulder and stiffened, all the humor draining from her face. The expression was quickly replaced with panic. "Gotta go!"

"What?! Why?"

"Pops is dragging someone over here. He keeps trying to set me up with 'appropriate' men."

"Why?"

She shrugged, still looking at her father. "I think he's trying to get me married off now that I'm officially his successor." She looked at him and gave him a quick smile and kiss on the cheek and then was gone.

He watched her go, shocked in spite of himself. The idea of her marrying someone else was like a blow to the stomach. He didn't know what Cid was thinking but he did know one thing.

No one else was going to have her.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: Dun dun dunn....

I really want to pick up pencil and paper and draw out this scene but I'd totally not do it justice. And I can so totally see Rikku going to a formal event commando in silent protest.


	25. Pt Three Chapter Three

**Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso **

**Chapter Three**

**3 Years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days E.C.**

Despite the festive occasion, Gippal was _not_ in a good mood.

They day hadn't started out o bad, despite having to get dressed up in a monkey suit. Heck, the part where Paine had to wear a dress had been great. Rikku had looked pretty hot in her yellow bridesmaid's dress as well. The ceremony hadn't even been too bad. He didn't even mind being a groomsman for non-blonde Al Bhed number two.

He actually liked Tidus. He wasn't a half-bad guy. True he was a bit dense and asked a helluva lot of questions for someone who had been wandering around with all those all-knowing spirit types, but one got used to it. He was a damn good blitzball player and a fast learner. He'd even managed to help fix a few machina since he'd sorta been around when some of them were still in use.

No things had actually been okay at the start of the day. He'd been able to stare at Rikku and her long legs and poke fun at Paine, non-verbally since he didn't have a death wish. Everything had been pretty good until after the I Do's had been exchanged and the High Summoner kissed her new husband.

From there it had gone down hill. Fast.

He hadn't even been given the chance to _talk_ to Rikku before Cid had come up to her with his latest hopeful. The guy was pretty good-looking and Gippal had to give Cid points for learning a bit of his daughter's preferences over the past five months of throwing guys at Rikku. And Gippal had even expected Cid to have someone waiting for her to be forced into a conversation with. Every occasion the old man got, he was dragging someone with him. It had become something of a joke.

Heck, it was half the reason he and Tidus started getting along so well. The guy was a better older brother than the one she actually had. Very protective of her happiness.

So, no it wasn't the fact that the guy was there that bothered him. What bothered him was the way she was smiling up at the guy and laughing. She was actually flirting with him a bit. Gippal was livid. He stalked off to one side of the village, still keeping is eye on her, and tried to regain his cool. He really didn't want to ruin the party with his bad mood. Yuna and Tidus deserved their day. But Paine just _had_ to follow him.

She was there for two seconds before she started making snarky comments about making Rikku wait. She had made it something of a priority to yell at him about his love life. She even started threatening him any time she thought he'd made Rikku cry, regardless of whether or not he was at fault, and he'd received more than one visit from Auntie Paine and her shiny sword.

Which was kind of funny considering how private she always was about her own life. Double standards.

Still, he knew better than to argue back, especially in the middle of a party, and settled on giving her a fierce glare before stalking away. He grabbed another drink from the bar and made his way to the scenic overlook by the old shrine.

Once there, he began to calm down a little. The drink was helping, as was the fairly peaceful and admittedly beautiful view. He sighed deeply, rolling his head around in a couple circles to loosen up. Just as he was about to go back to the celebration, he felt someone grab his ass. The grope was immediately followed by a giggle and he looked over to find Rikku smiling up at him impishly.

"Hey there, hot stuff. Those pants _really_ show off that fine ass of yours."

He looked at her, momentarily thrown off, before bursting into laughter. "Cid's girl, have you been drinking?"

"A little." She pointed to his empty cup. "So have you though."

"Yeah, well, I didn't just walk up to someone and grab their ass."

She giggled unrepentantly "Well, it had to be done. And why are you over here anyway? I wanted to introduce you to Pops' latest hopeful. He's a pretty cool guy."

"So I noticed," he remarked irritably.

She went on as if she hadn't heard him, saying, "He apparently really looks up to you and wants to join the Faction but doesn't feel qualified. You should go talk to him. You might be able to get some good work out of him. Especially if you let him bring his girlfriend."

Something inside Gippal relaxed and he gave her a lopsided smile. "Cid's bringing you guys with girlfriends now?"

"Pops is kinda dumb, I think we all know that." She shrugged indifferently. After a moment, a twinkle glimmered in her eyes and suddenly she was groping his ass again.

He laughed. "Cid's girl, you shouldn't have done that. Now I'm going to have to retaliate," he intoned, grabbing her around the waist and puling her against him. She grinned up at him happily while his hand slid down her back. Her expression broke into a full on laugh when his eye widened in shock seconds later.

"You aren't wearing underwear again."

"Well, you know."

He groaned before leaning down and capturing her lips in a fierce kiss that left them both panting and more than slightly disheveled when the broke apart a few minutes later.

"We really should get back, you know," she breathed after a minute. "We are supposed to be doing a special dance in a few."

The thought of going back to the party when parts of his anatomy were making his pants entirely uncomfortable was not a pleasant one.

"You really are a tease, Rikku."

"Am not," she protested with a laugh as she backed away from him. "You just keep not taking me up on the offer." With that, she ran back to the party, laughter following in her wake.

Gippal groaned. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *


	26. Pt Three Chapter Four

**Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso **

**Chapter Four**

**3 Years 8 months 4 days E.C.**

He saw red.

He couldn't move. If someone had cast _Stop_ on him, he wouldn't be any more still. He couldn't even be sure that he was breathing. Every ounce of his attention was focused on the sight before him some thirty feet away. It was a petite girl with styled blonde hair. She was talking, laughing, with a young man. A former member of the Youth League who was now one of the New Crusaders which had started up as a means of a world defense force. She stood close to him, laughter shaking her shoulders. She even reached up to hold his shoulder, shifting her weight over closer to him.

Nothing about the scene was all that out of the ordinary.

He knew she loved to laugh. He knew she was popular and friendly. He also knew the guys flocked to her as gulls did to the breadcrumbs people would throw off the ferry. He also knew that at close to nineteen, she was even more sexy than she had been at the defeat of Vegnagun when they shared that kiss searing kiss and another at her cousin's wedding a few months before, both of which still kept him up at night at times. He knew that her father was actively seeking husband candidates for her. He knew that some of them were good looking and smart and funny. He knew that he'd kept her waiting for ages when most sane men would have hauled her off over their shoulder years ago.

He knew that she wasn't wearing the scarf he'd given her, the one she'd promised to not take off until she moved on. She wouldn't take it off unless she didn't want him anymore.

He knew he'd promised to respect her wishes and let go. He'd promised to step back and accept that she was her own person and he just wanted her to be happy. He'd promised to not even ask.

And he knew beyond _any_ shadow of shadow of _any_ doubt that he would _never_ let that happen.

She was _his_ and no one else's.

As if freed from a spell, he shook himself out of his stupor and stomped up to her. Without so much as a hello or any sort of acknowledgement to the guy she'd been talking to, he grabbed her and, ignoring her startled squeak, pulled her to him and gave her a kiss that was filled with every ounce of emotion he felt for her. Every bit of his passion, love, jealousy, protectiveness, and possessiveness was evident in the embrace and he made sure she felt them all before he broke away from her.

"I don't care what I said. You are _my_ girl and always have been. Fuck anybody else."

She stared at him, breathing heavily, lips swollen from the kiss. "O-okay." She smiled, slightly dazed. "I never said any differently, Gippal. I told you I'd wait for you as long as I needed to."

He blinked. He'd expected her to argue or say something to the contrary. He glanced over at the guy she'd been talking to, only to find that he'd made himself scarce. He looked back to her, perplexed. "So, uh…why aren't you…." He trailed off, looking at her neck.

She frowned, bemused, before noticing the direction of his gaze. She reached up towards her bare neck, as if confirming what he saw. A grin broke onto her features. She rolled her eyes and pointed to a hover that had been out of sight from where he'd stood a minute before. He looked and saw the scarf draped over the handlebars, oil stains covering most of the yellow part of the length of cloth.

"O-oh." He laughed, embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. "Uh…sorry?"

She laughed. "Now," she purred, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Where were we?"

He chuckled throatily. "We were about two seconds away from me flinging you over my shoulder and taking you back to Djose and spending the next few days convincing you that you were my girl and that if you were going to marry anyone it would be me. And soon."

She grinned. "Bout damn time."

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: And there is the climactic scene. There are two more chapters to go, both of which are mostly written...in my head. but they should be up tomorrow if not later today.

Only took three years right?


	27. Pt Three Chapter Five

**Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso **

**Chapter Five**

**3 Years 8 months 1 week 2 days E.C.**

They were late to the meeting and so had to wait until it was dismissed before they could really talk to anyone. And even then, Rikku was pulled aside to talk to the Cactuars briefly about the latest plans to rebuild Home and Gippal needed to have a word with the Hypello about a project he wanted to start in the Moonflow. By the time they finished with their conversations, everyone had gathered in the antechamber, including a newly arrived Paine and Tidus.

It was as good a time as any.

He looked down at Rikku who smiled up at him. She put a finger over her lips with a wink and nodded towards their group of friends. With a shrug, he followed her to where Paine stood in close to the middle of the group. She looked up at over to them with an expression somewhere between curiosity and suspicion.

"Hey Paine."

"What, Rikku?"

"You were right?"

"About what?" Yuna asked, voicing the thoughts of everyone nearby who had turned to listen.

"We do have something to tell you."

Paine glance flicked over to Gippal and her lips curved into a smile. "Oh?"

"Yep."

"What's that then?"

"We're getting married!"

…

"WHAT?!"

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: okay so i actualy wrote three more chapters so there is two more after this. Writer bug and all.


	28. Pt Three Chapter Six

**Part Three – Inscribed on the Verso **

**Chapter Six**

**3 Years 11 months 3 weeks E.C.**

"We should have just eloped."

Rikku rolled her eyes at him as they danced. "You know you don't mean that."

"Whatever."

"Besides, we really couldn't have."

"Sure we could it would have been pretty easy, too, with the Al Bhed marriage laws."

"We would never have heard the end of it. Not from Yuna. Not from Pops. Probably not from Baralai either. He seems all about the formal events. Nor from any of our friends." She paused. "Well, Paine might have preferred we had."

Gippal laughed. "In a dress twice in one year."

"Yep," she giggled. She leaned her head on his chest, slowing their dance further. "And, really, this is nice."

He smiled down at her, brushing a kiss on her hair. "Yeah, it is."

They danced in silence for a while before a thought struck him and he chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she asked, pulling away enough to look up at him.

"You remember all those times you had to stop me from talking to those Crusaders that hated me because I was Al Bhed?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Idiot."

"Back the, did you ever think we'd wind up like this?"

She grinned. "Yep."

He frowned a little. "You mean you expected us to be pseudo world leaders, friends with the High Summoner and everyone else, and have half of Spira, including a helluva lot of non-Al Bhed's, at our wedding?"

"Nope," she grinned. "I expected that we would be happily married and that I could spend the rest of my life with you."

He blushed a little, in spite of himself, amazed at how candidly she was able to say stuff like that.

"Oh."

She giggled, happiness alight in her eyes. "And it's not half of Spira." She paused. "It might be more."

He groaned.

"I think Yuna was a bit excited. Pops too."

"We should have eloped."

She laughed and drew him down for a kiss.

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: Last chapter chapter. One sort of epilogue. Whee! So happy.

Also, to clarify: the "WHAT?!" at the end of the last chapter is more because everyone was surprised. Even Paine was expecting for them to say they were dating. They were going from not even really being romantically involved to getting married. So, bit of a shock.

Which is fun to do to your friends.


	29. Paine Sphere Lost Count

**Paine Sphere - Lost Count**

Rikku sat, back to the sphere recorder, working on a piece of machina that sat on the table in front of her. Slowly, the view rotated around to focus on her face, which was turned down slightly. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration as her fingers worked deftly on the tiny parts.

"So, the healer thinks its going to be twins, huh?" a voice asked from behind the recorder.

"Yep. Which would explain why I'm as large as a whale."

"Rikku. You're still tiny. Almost smaller than Yuna was."

The blonde laughed, looking up. "Don't tell her you said that."

"I said almost. Besides, she's back to normal now. As for you, I'm looking at you now and you don't even look pregnant from this angle."

She sighed grumpily. "Whatever. I'm just ready to be done. This whole being pregnant thing is really limiting on what I can do."

"So she says," Gippal chipped in, coming into view. "You'd think it'd at least slow her down." He leaned down to kiss his wife briefly before looking at Paine behind the recorder. "The other day I found her going against a fiend."

"Rikku!"

The girl blushed, looking down, slightly abashed. "It was just a little one. Besides, Gippal already chewed me out for about five hours."

"Rightly so."

"Thanks for your support, Dr. P," Gippal grinned. He looked down at Rikku. "Lunch is ready. Need help standing up?"

She sighed. "Please."

He took her hand and wrapped an arm around her back, easily pulling her to her feet, hinting at a strength belied by his thin build. Despite his care, Rikku winced, putting a hand to her swollen stomach, which truly was quite sizable for her still slim frame. Her expression faltered for a moment before slipping into resigned annoyance. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, whispering something inaudible to anyone else. She smiled at him before turning to the recorder.

"You want some lunch, Paine?"

"Sounds good. Oh, yeah, what are you going to name them?"

Rikku and Gippal exchanged amused looks. "Oh, we were thinking Paine if it was a girl."

Silence.

"That's not funny."

* * *

I do not own these characters.

* * *

AN: yay! It's done. Took so long, but it's done! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Or who read it but didn't review. I hope you liked it.

Only about two chapters in the third part ended up anywhere near what I thought they would be when I first outlined it way long ago. But I like the shift in what happened so i'm happy enough.

I'm writing a few one-shots for a challenge on QTC which take place in the universe of this story. I'll be posting them soon.

Farewell but not Goodbye.


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